[ACCESSWIRE]
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 24, 2018 / Today, more than half of the world's children are exposed to violence, abuse and neglect, including more than 200 million children who are victims of sexual abuse. H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden founded the World Childhood Foundation (WCF), a United Nations (UN) accredited NGO organization dedicated to ending sexual violence against children.
World Childhood Foundation USA (WCF) together with the Swedish Mission to the UN, and in partnership with The Oak Foundation, the United Nations Office of Partnerships, The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and Together for Girls, will convene leaders from governments, academia, civil society and the private sector to launch a groundbreaking index on child sexual abuse and exploitation.
"Out of the Shadows: Shining Light on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation"
The Launch of an Economist Intelligence Unit Benchmarking Index
Wednesday, October 3nd, 2018
10:00 AM - Noon ET
ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters in New York
This 40-country benchmarking tool, developed by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) with the support of World Childhood Foundation USA and the Oak Foundation, will help to measure progress toward reaching Sustainable Development Goal target 16.2: ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against, and torture of, children. The research program data and key findings will be presented by Leo Abruzzese, Global Director of Public Policy for The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Consulting team, which conducted the research. The full Benchmarking Index report will be made available on the day of the official October 3rd launch.
This index benchmarks the context in which sexual violence against children is happening; the legal and institutional underpinnings in place to combat sexual violence; and how stakeholders are responding to the threat across 40 countries. Categories or domains for such a framework include:
• Environment in which sexual violence against children takes place
• Legal framework for protecting children from sexual violence against children and enabling access to justice
• Government commitment and capacity to respond to sexual violence against children
• Engagement: Industry, civil society and media propensity for addressing sexual violence against children at the industry and community level
On the evening of October 3rd, Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine of Sweden, co-founder of World Childhood Foundation's #EyesWideOpen global awareness initiative, along with philanthropists, corporate leaders, United Nations dignitaries and other notables will gather for the annual WCF USA Thank You Gala 2018 at Cipriani, 25 Broadway in New York. During the Gala, leaders who have significantly furthered the cause of children's rights will be honored, including: Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children; Baroness Joanna Shields, founder of WePROTECT; Hugh Evans, Co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen; and Tony Maddox, EVP of CNN International and the CNN Freedom project.
The October 3rd morning meeting at the UN is open to UN-accredited press only; the October 3rd WCF pre-Gala evening reception is open to credentialed photographic journalists. For more information, please contact:
Adam Friedman
[email protected]
+1-914-419-7384
or
Cathy Loos
[email protected]
+1-347-334-4135
SOURCE: World Childhood Foundation USA
