PAHO and countries kick off the data collection process on Violence against Children and Adolescents 

14 June 2024 — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the National Data Focal Points (NDFP) from 22 countries in the Region of the Americas gathered to discuss the methodology and data collection tools available to include in the Second Global Status Report on Violence against Children and Adolescents. 

National-level data will be collected by administering a standardized questionnaire that asks countries about the existence of governance mechanisms, action plans, data, and prevention and response approaches in line with the INSPIRE: Seven Strategies for Ending Violence Against Children technical package. Data is collected and validated through a collaborative process led by government-nominated NDFP in each Member State country, collaborating with other sectors and partners.  

Over 50 participants, including representatives from government sectors and WHO, joined to discuss the report’s objectives and expected results and agreed on the next steps. Data collection is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, with the report due to be published in mid-2025. The report will be critical in generating new data and knowledge on what works to prevent violence in the Americas and beyond and will be a crucial milestone as the Region advances toward the elimination of violence in all its forms. 

Violence against children and adolescents is a major challenge in the Americas. The Region is known for having the highest homicide rate in the world, with young people being especially affected. One in two children globally is estimated to experience physical, sexual, or emotional violence each year.  

In response, World Health Assembly Resolution 74.17 calls on Member States to prioritize data collection and monitoring and requests that the WHO develop status reports. These reports document the extent of national, regional, and worldwide progress in line with the INSPIRE technical package and related Sustainable Development Goal targets. The reports are the only worldwide assessments of preventing violence against children and adolescents. They can generate considerable attention at national, regional, and global levels and serve as essential tools to stimulate action in countries and regions.

The first Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children, published in 2020, marked a significant milestone by tracking the progress of 155 countries in adhering to the ‘INSPIRE’ framework, highlighting the urgent need for intensified efforts. Read more about the 2020 report here: https://www.paho.org/en/topics/violence-against-children