Clara Sommarin described UNICEF’s Violence Against Children Surveys (VACS) of 13- to 24-year olds that document childhood experiences of sexual, physical and emotional violence. Started in Swaziland in 2007, studies have been completed in nine countries in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, with an additional seven planned for the next few years. The surveys are part of a larger initiative to improve and develop national multisectoral programmes and policies, global advocacy and public awareness-raising. The surveys are developed in cooperation with the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and implemented with multisector support that includes governments, UNICEF, CDC, Population Europe Resource Finder and Archive (PERFAR) and the Together for Girls initiative (cooperation among five UN agencies, US and Canadian governments and the public sector). Findings allow for comparisons of the prevalence and magnitude of childhood violence across age, gender, geography and socioeconomic status.

1. 1
Clara Sommarin, Child Protection Specialist Exploitation and Violence
UNICEF Headquarters
London 12 February 2015
Researching Children’s Rights in the Digital Age
Violence against Children Surveys

2. • National household surveys documenting sexual,
physical and emotional violence against girls and boys
• Interviewing females and males 13-24 years old about
childhood experiences
• Government surveys implemented with support from
UNICEF, CDC and PEPFAR within the Together for Girls
initiative
VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN SURVEYS (VACS)

3. GLOBAL
ADVOCACY
Engage in advocacy
and public awareness
raising at the global
level
NATIONAL
SURVEYS & DATA
Conduct national
violence against
children surveys
(VACS)
COUNTRY-LED
RESPONSE
Support national
government-led
multi-sectoral
programs and
policies
Together for Girls
Global public-private sector partnership to create
a global movement to end violence against children

4. TOGETHER FOR GIRLS (TFG)
Five UN agencies, the U.S. Government and the
private sector

5. • Swaziland first country to conduct the survey in 2007
• February 2015: Studies completed in 9 countries; in
process in 7 countries
• 15 more countries considering VACS
Violence against Children Surveys

6. Objectives:
• Describe magnitude and nature of childhood violence
• Assess health and social impact of childhood violence
• Identify potential risk and protective factors
• Assess reporting, service seeking and utilization
• Help guide prevention programs and policies aimed at
reducing childhood violence
VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN SURVEYS (VACS)

7. Measure childhood violence through the lens of:
• Overall prevalence: 18-24 year olds as reported by an
event before the age of 18
• Current pattern: 13-17 year olds as reported by events in
the past year prior to the survey implementation
Ø Includes a few questions about child sexual abuse
through the use of ICTs
VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN SURVEYS (VACS)

8. • Standardized, core questionnaire developed at global
level and tested in different cultural context - used in all
countries
• Adapted locally to country context and translated into
different languages (e.g. Haiti restaveks, Kenya political
violence)
• Observing ethical standards and protocols
• Using standardized methodology – development of
standardized methodological toolkit in process
VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN SURVEYS (VACS)

9. • Led by country governments via national Multi-
Sector Task Forces (MSTF) – National Bureau of
Statistics, Ministries of Women, Children and
Social Welfare, Health, Education, Justice,
Planning, Civil Society, Academia, UNICEF and
development partners
VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN SURVEYS (VACS)

10. The Model
Multi-
Sector
Task
Force
Lead
Government
Ministry
UNICEF and
Other UN
Agencies In-
Country
USG In-
Country
Civil Society
& Private
Sector
Other
Development
Partners
Other
Government
Ministries
Government Led
VACS breaks the
silence
Mobilizes action and
policies
Establishes an
accountability
framework

11. RESULTS
• Comparable data on violence against children
across countries
• VACS catalysed action to address violence
against children in all countries
• Studies have been launched with national
priority responses/commitments in Swaziland,
Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, Haiti
and in process in Malawi and Nigeria
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12. Moving from Research to Action
• Multi-stakeholder priority actions with clearly
defined roles and responsibilities across sectors/
line Ministries and associated stakeholders including
civil society and other actors in community
• Different approaches depending on country
context
• Learning across countries – Global Meeting in
Swaziland May 2014
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13. JUSTICE
& POLICE
Child-friendly
stations and courts;
legal aid
COMMUNITY
Parenting support;
safe spaces;
engaging children
EDUCATION
Training teachers;
early childhood
education
SOCIAL
SERVICES
Crisis reporting;
child protection
centers
HEALTH
Child abuse
screening; post-
rape care
MULTI-SECTOR INTERVENTIONS

14. Call to Action: Tanzania
• Costed Multi-Sector Plan National Plan
to Prevent and Respond to Violence
against Children (July 2013 - June 2016)
launched 2013
• Monitoring and Evaluation framework with
targets and indicators, is part of the three
year plan and the information system is in
place
• Quarterly review process of the indicators/
targets identified in the 3 year plan
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Thank You !