High-level event on the impact of violence on…

More than 1 billion children are exposed to violence every year. They face many forms of violence, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse, exploitation, deprivation and neglect. They experience violence in many places, including in the home, schools, the community, online and in humanitarian settings.

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified these challenges.

The 2021 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development provides an important opportunity to highlight both challenges and solutions related to protecting children from violence and supporting their mental wellbeing.

The objectives of this event are to:

• Raise awareness of the impact of violence on the mental health of children, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Share examples of effective approaches to supporting children's mental health from different regions and in different settings.
• Identify what steps are needed to embed mental health, child protection and social protection services into action to build back better after the pandemic, while also supporting the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs by 2030.