New World Vision report calls out funding crisis for girls

Report finds that just 0.07% official development assistance goes to ending child marriage, in the same year rates of child marriage increased 163%

• Only a small fraction of official development assistance (ODA) is targeted at ending sexual violence against children: US$ 352.2 million or 0.15% of the total 2020 ODA.
• World Vision’s own field level data shows a 163% increase in child marriages in the first 18 months of the pandemic. Reports of other forms of sexual violence, including rape and attempted rape, increased by 50%.
• Only Canada spends more than 2% ODA on ending sexual violence against children or child marriage.

22 November 2022 – As the first World Day for the Prevention of, and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence passes, global donors are spending just 0.15% of funding to end sexual violence against children.

This is according to Girls in Crisis: Decreasing International Investment to End Sexual Violence and Child Marriage; a new report by World Vision which investigates donor spend on child marriage and violence against children. The report has found that despite warnings as far back as May 2020 that the pandemic would cause a surge in child marriages, donors reduced spending to end violence against children in the first year of the pandemic, shifting funds instead to COVID-19 responses. In 2020, just 0.07% of official development assistance went to fighting child marriage, but new analysis of World Vision’s own field level data shows a 163% increase in child marriages in the first 18 months of the pandemic.

Andrew Morley, World Vision International President & CEO, said: “We must protect children everywhere - so they can just be children. This means working together NOW to stop child marriage and other forms of sexual violence against children. It is a travesty that, despite repeated warnings from World Vision and other organisations, funding to tackle child marriage and sexual violence against children make up a tiny percentage of donor investment. Girls are paying for this with their futures.”

The new report highlights the increases in child marriage and sexual violence against children during the pandemic, and analyses where and by whom the funding that does exist is spent. It calls on donors and international financial institutions to increase their funding in this area, so that the world can enjoy the large social and economic dividends that ending violence against children creates.

Mr. Morley concluded, “Sexual violence against children is a global atrocity, robbing girls and boys of their God-given potential. We need real investment from world leaders to protect children everywhere. With the right resources, mobilisation and political will, we can work together to protect children from sexual violence – empowering them to reach their true potential in life.”

ENDS

Report url: wvi.org/publications/policy-report/it-takes-world/girls-crisis

For more information please contact: Niamh Cooper, Director of Public Engagement, Email: niamh_cooper@wvi.org, Phone: +353 87 942 3371

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian and development organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice.

World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit www.wvi.org or follow us on Twitter @WorldVision