SIX STRATEGIES TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

UNICEF has proposed six strategies to prevent & respond to violence against children. They are as follows:

STRATEGY 1

Supporting parents, caregivers and families

Educating families, caregivers and parents on their child’s early development increases the likelihood that they will use positive disciplining methods. this reduces the risk of violence within the home. 

STRATEGY 2

Helping children and adolescents manage risks and challenges

Giving children and adolescents the skills to cope and manage risks and challenges without the use of violence and to seek appropriate support when violence does occur is crucial for reducing violence in schools and communities.

STRATEGY 3

Changing attitudes and social norms that encourage violence and discrimination

Changing the attitudes and social norms that hide violence in plain sight is the surest way to prevent violence from occurring in the first place.

STRATEGY 4

Promoting and providing support services for children

Encouraging children to seek quality professional support and report incidents of violence helps them to better cope with and resolve experiences of violence.

STRATEGY 5

Implementing laws and policies that protect children 

Implementing and enforcing laws and policies that protect children sends a strong message to society that violence is unacceptable and will be punished.

STRATEGY 6

Carrying out data collection and research

Knowing about violence – where it occurs, in what forms, and which age groups and communities of children are most affected – is essential to planning and designing intervention strategies, and setting numerical and time-bound targets to monitor progress and end violence.