On the afternoon of October 28, with the support of the United Nations Children’s fund and sponsored by the China Institute of public welfare of Beijing Normal University, the “working manual on the elimination of violence against children and the first child friendly partnership forum” was successfully held in Beijing. The event was hosted by Li Jie, assistant president of China Public Welfare Research Institute, and was conducted through online live broadcast.

Rui Xinyue’s representative delivered a speech on site

Ms. Rui Xinyue, representative of UNICEF office in China, addressed the forum and called on the whole society to support children’s right to protection, eliminate violence against children and create a violence free society. Professor Bu Wei of the Institute of Journalism and communication of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, commissioned by the Chinese Academy of public welfare since 2019, led a team to carry out research on children’s awareness of violence and effective communication methods, and developed relevant working manuals on this basis, trying to provide service reference for grass-roots children’s workers. From the perspective of awareness raising and paradigm transformation, the manual explains the general forms, hazards and nature of violence against children, and the practices of raising awareness, responding to and dealing with violence. At the same time, it introduces the participatory prevention and intervention supporting children, families, schools and communities.

Relevant United Nations Research shows that children’s violence in their early growth not only affects their physical and mental development, behavior and social communication, but also may affect the healthy development of trust, intimacy and other social relations in adulthood, and even increase the intergenerational transmission of violence, resulting in a series of social problems.

In order to support grass-roots children’s workers to carry out services to eliminate violence against children, the Chinese Academy of public welfare plans to launch a series of lectures on “eliminating violence against children” and related tools and products.

Director Peng Wenru delivered a keynote speech

Peng Wenru, director of UNICEF office in China, showed us the frequency and harm of violence against children with data and research results. He suggested that the whole society take action, and the government, social organizations, individuals and families take action to provide human and financial resources, implement policies, improve behavior, and carry out relevant actions to eliminate violence against children from all aspects.

In addition, Dong Jingjing, deputy director of the land and space planning office of Changsha Natural Resources Planning Bureau, also shared experiences on Changsha’s efforts to eliminate violence against children in exploring the construction of sister cities. In the future, Changsha hopes to extend the construction of sister cities to rural areas. The elimination of violence against children requires the linkage of family, society and the government. Only when we understand the forms and harm of violence against children, pay attention to the problem of violence against children, and establish relevant working mechanisms for the prevention, detection and treatment of violence against children under the leadership of the government and the active participation of social organizations and experts from all parties, can we really establish a strong backing for the protection of children.

President Wang Zhenyao

Chairman Kong Dongmei

Wang Zhenyao, President of China Institute of public welfare of Beijing Normal University, Kong Dongmei, President of Dongrun foundation, Yang Guang, director of sina micro public welfare, and Professor Bu Wei were specially invited to discuss how experts, social organizations and media can better carry out effective actions to eliminate child violence.

Director Yang Guang

Kong Dongmei shared the project of Art Troupe for children in distress carried out by Dongrun foundation, which has effectively promoted children’s anti violence publicity. Yang Guang proposed to encourage influential microblog bloggers to actively participate in the publicity of eliminating violence against children. At the same time, Buwei proposed that the establishment of a national child protection mechanism is the fundamental way to effectively prevent violence against children. Finally, Wang Zhenyao suggested that more individuals and organizations join child friendly partners.

In 2010, the Ministry of civil affairs, in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s fund, successively carried out pilot work on the construction of grass-roots child welfare and protection service system based on village children directors in 20 regions of 7 provinces (cities and autonomous regions). As a technical support unit, the China Institute of public welfare of Beijing Normal University has continuously organized experts to provide face-to-face and remote support to village children directors with the financial and technical support of UNICEF since the launch of the project.

Group photo of guests

This activity is the first phase of the “child friendly partnership forum”. I hope more individuals and organizations will join the “child friendly partnership” to promote the development of children’s welfare and protection.