Today, Cote D’Ivoire released its Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) Report, revealing new and critical data about the state of violence against children throughout the country.
Together for Girls VACS, which are led by national governments with technical support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Together for Girls, measure children’s experiences of violence across the world. In Cote D’Ivoire, the survey found that children are still suffering from unacceptably high rates of violence.
In order to create a world where every child, adolescent and young person is safe, protected and thriving, we first must know the facts.
For example, 19 per cent of girls and 11 per cent of boys experience sexual violence before the age of 18, while 47 per cent of girls and 61 per cent of boys experience physical violence. On top of that, only 3 per cent of children who experience sexual violence receive the support services that they need to rebuild and recover.
These insights can help inform strategies and investments to prevent and respond to violence against children. The Cote D’Ivoire VACS builds on years of violence prevention work, including its commitment to becoming a Pathfinder in 2018. Since its launch in July of 2016, the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children has promoted the concept of Pathfinding, which aims to raise awareness, stimulate leadership commitment, galvanize action, and establish a standard of national violence prevention throughout the world. Today, 30 countries have joined the partnership as Pathfinders, spreading the initiative's reach to every continent.
