Save the Children inaugurated the Global Day of Action to stop violence against children in 2006, building on its work in ensuring the meaningful participation of children in the UN Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against children. The Day provides a focus for mobilising children and young people in all regions to voice their opposition to violence against them and to engage in ways to end it. The report of events in 2008 is now available.

Save the Children has prioritised three forms of violence in its follow-up work on the UN Study: corporal punishment and other inhuman or degrading punishment of children, child sexual abuse and exploitation, and organised violence in the streets. It lobbies for implementation of the UN Study recommendations and promotes comprehensive national child protection systems.

Activities undertaken during the 2008 Day of Action largely reflect these priorities. In many countries, the Day campaigned broadly against all forms of violence against children. In others, participants campaigned in depth on corporal punishment of children or on sexual violence.

The report documents the 2008 Day of Action in the nearly 30 countries which participated:
Section 2 (action against all forms of violence): Australia, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Honduras, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, South Africa, Southern Sudan, Viet Nam and Yemen.
Section 3 (action against corporal punishment): Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Kenya, Kosovo, Lithuania, Montenegro, Peru, Philippines, Serbia and Uruguay.

Section 4 (action against sexual violence): Ethiopia, Nepal and Uganda.

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The report celebrates what can be achieved when children and adults work together for change, and will hopefully inspire continued efforts to end all violence against children.

Download the Day of Action Report