Will rapid economic change reiterate or decrease the extremes that separate children? Will the children of the world’s elite continue to want for almost nothing, while the children of the poor continue to be deprived of almost everything?
Last month, global leaders signed the Sustainable Development Goals, a universal declaration that pledges to end poverty, better protect children and ensure rights are guaranteed for all — especially society’s most vulnerable. It can’t come quickly enough for the 1 billion children experiencing some form of violence every year.
We know that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys experience sexual violence during childhood. An estimated 5.5 million children are in some form of modern-day slavery, working in jobs hazardous to their health and well-being that they have little chance of escaping. We know that every year 15 million girls marry before they turn 18, and that 168 million children are classified as child laborers. There are many other areas where children suffer violence and the list of violations is, unfortunately, very lengthy.
About the author
Gabriela Olguin
Gabriela Olguin is the child protection regional adviser for South Asia and Pacific at World Vision International in Manila, Philippines. She is a lawyer, international development and international human rights specialist with over 18 years of experience. Previously, she has served the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the International Labor Office, developing advocacy strategies and programs for rights enforcement and alleviation of social exclusion, and against discrimination, inequality and gender-based violence.
