Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children: Pathfinding

Recognising its devastating impact, in 2015 world leaders committed to end all forms of violence against children by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. In July 2016, the UN Secretary-General launched the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children (End Violence) and a related fund to invest in solutions on the ground.

The objective of Pathfinding is to raise awareness, stimulate leadership commitment to action and establish a standard of national violence prevention in a large number of countries. Any country may become a Pathfinding country within End Violence if key criteria are met.

Pathfinding countries are those whose government leaders do two things:

Make a formal, public commitment to comprehensive action to end all forms of violence against children; and
Request to become a pathfinder within End Violence.

Within 18 months of Pathfinding status being confirmed by the End Violence Secretariat, Pathfinding country governments are expected to:

Appoint a senior government focal point to lead the in-country process;
Convene and support a multi-stakeholder group;
Collect, structure and analyse data on violence against children;
Develop an evidence-based and costed National Action Plan that sets commitments for 3-5 years, and a related resource mobilisation plan; and
Consult with children and adhere to partnership standards on child participation.

The partnership currently has 29 Pathfinding countries. To achieve SDG 16.2 by 2030, many more countries need to begin planning to take comprehensive action to end violence against children.
Any country which meets the Pathfinding criteria will be invited to join End Violence.