0:00:00.483,0:00:03.587 [This talk contains mature content] 0:00:04.905,0:00:06.960 I'm often asked what do I do. 0:00:08.048,0:00:09.300 To which I reply, 0:00:09.324,0:00:12.187 "I work to end violence against children. 0:00:12.211,0:00:15.878 All violence against every child[br]in every country." 0:00:16.632,0:00:18.267 There's usually a pause. 0:00:18.291,0:00:20.529 Sometimes, depending on the setting, 0:00:20.553,0:00:22.785 "Whoa, that's a conversation killer." 0:00:23.716,0:00:25.438 And then the questions: 0:00:25.462,0:00:27.684 "What sort of violence[br]are you talking about?" 0:00:27.708,0:00:29.184 "How much violence is there?" 0:00:29.208,0:00:32.065 "Where is it happening,[br]is it happening here?" 0:00:32.089,0:00:36.188 And when I answer those questions,[br]people tend to be shocked. 0:00:36.212,0:00:38.213 Shocked at the scale of violence, 0:00:38.237,0:00:40.244 shocked at the nature of violence. 0:00:40.268,0:00:41.855 But I'm always quick to make sure 0:00:41.879,0:00:44.720 that people aren't left[br]with a sense of doom and gloom. 0:00:45.085,0:00:48.796 I believe we have an unprecedented[br]historical opportunity 0:00:48.820,0:00:50.066 in this generation 0:00:50.090,0:00:52.245 to end violence against children. 0:00:52.590,0:00:55.520 There's a nascent movement[br]building around this. 0:00:56.065,0:00:58.823 Governments, national governments,[br]city governments, 0:00:58.847,0:01:01.466 provinces and others[br]are joining that movement. 0:01:01.490,0:01:04.403 And when we succeed --[br]and it will take all of us -- 0:01:04.427,0:01:06.663 we will change the course[br]of human history. 0:01:07.894,0:01:10.124 What do I mean by violence[br]against children? 0:01:10.498,0:01:12.475 I mean all of the physical violence, 0:01:12.499,0:01:15.450 sexual, psychological[br]and emotional violence 0:01:15.474,0:01:17.577 that happens to children at home, 0:01:17.601,0:01:21.243 at school, online[br]and in their communities. 0:01:22.141,0:01:24.203 We work with partners[br]right across the world 0:01:24.227,0:01:26.608 and from those partners,[br]we hear disturbing stories 0:01:26.632,0:01:28.165 of individual children. 0:01:28.736,0:01:31.899 For example, Sarah, age 10. 0:01:32.418,0:01:34.799 Raped repeatedly by her stepfather 0:01:34.823,0:01:37.545 and threatened with violence[br]if she tells anyone. 0:01:38.259,0:01:41.544 Faisal, hit across the knuckles[br]at school with a cable, 0:01:41.568,0:01:42.919 shamed and called a donkey, 0:01:42.943,0:01:46.585 made to stand outside in the cold[br]when he gets the answers wrong. 0:01:47.998,0:01:51.776 And from the partners we work with[br]to make the internet safer for children, 0:01:51.800,0:01:54.522 we hear stories like that of Angelika. 0:01:54.546,0:01:56.522 Twelve years old, 0:01:56.546,0:02:00.498 and forced to commit[br]sexual acts on her uncle, 0:02:00.522,0:02:03.823 which are live-streamed to paying adults[br]the other side of the world. 0:02:05.887,0:02:09.680 One in 10 girls experiences sexual abuse[br]before the age of 20. 0:02:10.077,0:02:11.704 Half of children live in countries 0:02:11.728,0:02:14.798 where corporal punishment[br]has not been fully prohibited. 0:02:15.538,0:02:17.450 And last year alone, in the US, 0:02:17.474,0:02:20.093 45 million reports were made 0:02:20.117,0:02:24.117 of images and videos of violent[br]and sexual abuse of children online. 0:02:24.141,0:02:26.341 Twice the number the year before. 0:02:27.204,0:02:29.831 Now these forms of violence[br]and other forms of violence 0:02:29.855,0:02:33.045 roll up into some[br]truly staggering numbers. 0:02:33.069,0:02:35.323 One billion children globally every year 0:02:35.347,0:02:37.291 who experience some kind of violence. 0:02:37.315,0:02:39.315 That's one in two children. 0:02:39.339,0:02:41.072 This is a universal issue. 0:02:42.609,0:02:44.342 So what gives me optimism? 0:02:44.657,0:02:46.395 Let me talk about Sweden and Uganda. 0:02:46.419,0:02:49.466 Probably about as different[br]as two countries you might imagine. 0:02:49.855,0:02:51.276 If you speak to an economist, 0:02:51.300,0:02:54.264 they might tell you that Sweden[br]has a per capita average income 0:02:54.288,0:02:56.026 of around 50,000 dollars a year. 0:02:56.050,0:02:58.050 In Uganda, it's 2,000 dollars. 0:02:59.312,0:03:00.582 A historian might tell you 0:03:00.606,0:03:03.778 Sweden hasn't been in a national conflict[br]for about 200 years. 0:03:03.802,0:03:06.082 Uganda is still struggling[br]with an insurgency 0:03:06.106,0:03:07.973 in the north of the country. 0:03:09.331,0:03:11.045 A musician might tell you 0:03:11.069,0:03:15.363 that Uganda, the national anthem,[br]"Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty," 0:03:15.387,0:03:17.133 is one of the shortest in the world. 0:03:17.157,0:03:19.696 In fact, so short,[br]it's often played more than once. 0:03:20.022,0:03:23.582 I believe Swedes play theirs[br]and sing theirs for a little longer. 0:03:24.765,0:03:26.654 But more seriously, 0:03:26.678,0:03:28.916 Sweden and Uganda have made a commitment, 0:03:28.940,0:03:30.998 they have a common bond[br]and shared purpose, 0:03:31.022,0:03:33.173 a commitment to end violence[br]against children, 0:03:33.197,0:03:35.911 and they are taking action[br]to try and get their countries 0:03:35.935,0:03:40.026 on a pathway to zero violence[br]against children by 2030. 0:03:40.612,0:03:44.596 And many other countries,[br]cities and states are joining them, 0:03:44.620,0:03:45.887 all over the world. 0:03:46.739,0:03:49.570 But what does it really mean,[br]what does it mean in practice? 0:03:49.594,0:03:51.839 When they make that commitment,[br]what do they do? 0:03:51.863,0:03:54.537 It means high-level political[br]commitment and leadership. 0:03:54.561,0:03:57.095 Enacting and implementing legislation. 0:03:57.921,0:04:00.358 And launching initiatives,[br]changing policy, 0:04:00.382,0:04:02.270 starting a national conversation 0:04:02.294,0:04:05.548 that begins to raise awareness[br]on a journey to changing attitudes 0:04:05.572,0:04:07.387 and making it socially unacceptable 0:04:07.411,0:04:10.211 to have any violence and abuse[br]of children in a country. 0:04:11.434,0:04:13.832 It means recognizing[br]that violence against children 0:04:13.856,0:04:15.418 cuts across many sectors, 0:04:15.442,0:04:18.918 and therefore the response, the answer,[br]has to be a systems approach. 0:04:18.942,0:04:21.204 You can't just do one piece of it. 0:04:21.228,0:04:23.998 It requires multiple agencies[br]within and beyond government. 0:04:24.022,0:04:26.491 It requires faith groups,[br]the private sector, media, 0:04:26.515,0:04:29.503 academia, civil society[br]organizations and others. 0:04:30.245,0:04:32.825 And it requires drawing[br]on what the best practice 0:04:32.849,0:04:35.110 and the best evidence globally tells us, 0:04:35.134,0:04:36.967 but using national-level data 0:04:36.991,0:04:41.712 to shine a light on the often hidden story[br]of violence in any given country. 0:04:41.736,0:04:45.228 And using that data[br]to inform the national response, 0:04:45.252,0:04:48.411 but also using it to measure[br]and track progress. 0:04:48.435,0:04:49.752 And share what's working, 0:04:49.776,0:04:52.204 being honest about[br]when things aren't working. 0:04:52.637,0:04:54.390 And sharing inspiration 0:04:54.414,0:04:57.454 when we see success[br]and violence declining. 0:04:58.613,0:05:01.771 But can we really do this[br]on a global scale? 0:05:02.081,0:05:05.095 One billion children a year[br]experiencing violence. 0:05:05.119,0:05:06.404 I think we can. 0:05:06.428,0:05:10.770 In 2015, 193 world leaders[br]committed their countries 0:05:10.794,0:05:13.602 to end violence, abuse[br]and neglect of children by 2030. 0:05:14.204,0:05:15.570 Violence against children 0:05:15.594,0:05:17.705 undermines all the other[br]investments in them: 0:05:17.729,0:05:19.815 in their health, in their education. 0:05:19.839,0:05:21.014 Often with multi-year, 0:05:21.038,0:05:26.004 sometimes lifelong and intergenerational[br]consequences and transmission. 0:05:26.831,0:05:29.895 But it's not just about[br]international agreements and governments. 0:05:29.919,0:05:31.093 They really matter. 0:05:31.117,0:05:33.617 I think something's also[br]changing more fundamentally, 0:05:33.641,0:05:35.760 and we as societies around the world 0:05:35.784,0:05:38.926 are finally calling out[br]unacceptable behaviors 0:05:38.950,0:05:41.299 which for too long have been tolerated. 0:05:41.323,0:05:43.014 Think of the #MeToo movement, 0:05:43.038,0:05:45.815 and how sector after sector,[br]industry after industry, 0:05:45.839,0:05:47.339 calling out perpetrators, 0:05:47.363,0:05:49.228 bringing and holding them to account. 0:05:49.252,0:05:51.680 It's a journey,[br]but we've embarked upon it. 0:05:51.704,0:05:53.808 Look at what's happened[br]in the aid industry. 0:05:53.832,0:05:55.371 Following some abuses of power, 0:05:55.395,0:05:57.578 the aid industry[br]is now taking very seriously 0:05:57.602,0:06:00.505 the safeguarding of children[br]across the world. 0:06:02.542,0:06:04.796 But maybe even more than that. 0:06:05.264,0:06:08.280 Children and young people themselves, 0:06:08.304,0:06:09.681 part aided by technology, 0:06:09.705,0:06:10.954 but they have a voice now 0:06:10.978,0:06:13.385 that they may not, I don't think,[br]have had before. 0:06:13.409,0:06:14.893 And they are using that voice, 0:06:14.917,0:06:17.807 not just to advocate for the situation[br]they see around them 0:06:17.831,0:06:20.029 or what they know needs to improve, 0:06:20.053,0:06:22.378 but to be part of the solutions of things 0:06:22.402,0:06:25.156 that actually inform[br]and affect their lives. 0:06:26.179,0:06:27.633 Think of those young activists 0:06:27.657,0:06:29.917 who speak out against[br]female genital mutilation, 0:06:29.941,0:06:34.728 child marriage, cyber bullying,[br]safe schools, harming conflict -- 0:06:34.752,0:06:36.352 the list goes on and on. 0:06:36.903,0:06:38.836 Those children really matter. 0:06:40.101,0:06:42.085 So we have political leadership, 0:06:42.109,0:06:43.863 we have youth activism, 0:06:43.887,0:06:45.764 we have evidence-based solutions, 0:06:47.551,0:06:49.277 we have public awareness growing -- 0:06:49.301,0:06:50.361 we're on that pathway, 0:06:50.385,0:06:52.884 beginning that journey[br]to get to zero by 2030. 0:06:53.411,0:06:55.344 But what are those solutions? 0:06:56.061,0:06:57.776 Three years ago, in 2016, 0:06:57.800,0:07:02.212 10 global institutions came together[br]and aligned behind a framework 0:07:02.236,0:07:05.053 which is a comprehensive,[br]step-by-step approach 0:07:05.077,0:07:07.493 to ending violence against children. 0:07:07.517,0:07:08.993 It's called INSPIRE. 0:07:09.017,0:07:11.715 It looks at the need[br]for the relevant legislation, 0:07:11.739,0:07:13.683 addressing social norms, 0:07:13.707,0:07:15.755 parent and caregiver support, 0:07:15.779,0:07:18.976 responses for children[br]who have experienced violence and abuse. 0:07:19.383,0:07:20.581 And safe schools, 0:07:20.605,0:07:23.986 so children can be in a learning[br]environment where they thrive. 0:07:25.351,0:07:26.938 In Uganda, four years ago, 0:07:26.962,0:07:30.138 an eight-year-old girl[br]could be married to a 30-year-old man. 0:07:30.686,0:07:32.091 That can no longer happen. 0:07:32.115,0:07:34.472 In 2016, the Children Act[br]made that illegal 0:07:34.496,0:07:37.115 and set the minimum age of marriage at 18. 0:07:37.139,0:07:39.369 That's the I of INSPIRE: 0:07:39.393,0:07:41.784 enact and implement legislation. 0:07:43.058,0:07:45.874 Cambodia is rolling out parental support, 0:07:45.898,0:07:48.280 parent and caregiver support[br]across the country, 0:07:48.304,0:07:51.145 so parents are equipped[br]to raise their children 0:07:51.169,0:07:55.180 and to have discipline[br]in a nonviolent way in the home. 0:07:55.204,0:07:56.752 That's the P of INSPIRE, 0:07:56.776,0:07:58.529 parent and caregiver support. 0:07:58.553,0:07:59.712 In the Philippines, 0:07:59.736,0:08:03.545 there are 100 centers set up[br]to protect women and children nationwide. 0:08:03.569,0:08:06.887 Women and children who are either[br]at high risk of abuse and violence 0:08:06.911,0:08:08.844 or have experienced violence. 0:08:09.258,0:08:12.472 That's the R of INSPIRE,[br]response and support services. 0:08:12.496,0:08:16.916 And in Uganda, a safe schools toolkit[br]has been rolled out now 0:08:16.940,0:08:18.704 to half of teachers in Uganda, 0:08:18.728,0:08:22.910 equipping them to control a class[br]with nonviolent discipline. 0:08:23.800,0:08:27.068 That's the E of INSPIRE,[br]education and life skills. 0:08:27.092,0:08:30.394 That's just some bits[br]within some of the INSPIRE framework. 0:08:30.418,0:08:33.735 But more and more countries[br]are committing to implement it, 0:08:33.759,0:08:35.013 adapt it locally, 0:08:35.037,0:08:37.672 inform it with the relevant data,[br]put a plan together, 0:08:37.696,0:08:39.133 work across sectors, 0:08:39.157,0:08:41.133 and begin that journey to zero. 0:08:41.157,0:08:44.982 Canada, Mexico,[br]United Arab Emirates, Tanzania -- 0:08:45.006,0:08:46.923 I mentioned Sweden and Uganda already -- 0:08:46.947,0:08:48.879 Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, 0:08:48.903,0:08:51.514 more and more countries,[br]and now cities, too. 0:08:51.538,0:08:53.903 And right here in Scotland, 0:08:53.927,0:08:56.942 University of Edinburgh[br]is establishing a learning lab 0:08:56.966,0:09:00.268 that's going to track the journey[br]that cities in Scotland 0:09:00.292,0:09:05.119 and the Philippines[br]and Colombia go on together. 0:09:05.537,0:09:06.760 See what works in a city, 0:09:06.784,0:09:10.411 take something that's being prepared[br]for implementation at a nationwide level 0:09:10.435,0:09:12.172 and bring it down to the city level, 0:09:12.196,0:09:13.354 where we believe 0:09:13.378,0:09:16.791 that we can actually make probably faster[br]and demonstrable progress 0:09:16.815,0:09:18.776 in a shorter space of time. 0:09:18.800,0:09:19.982 And when we do that, 0:09:20.006,0:09:23.029 that success will be shared[br]through the learning lab and beyond 0:09:23.053,0:09:24.653 at Edinburgh University. 0:09:26.728,0:09:28.696 Ending violence is the right thing to do, 0:09:28.720,0:09:30.744 it's a smart investment to make, 0:09:30.768,0:09:33.537 we have evidence-based solutions, 0:09:33.561,0:09:35.514 and we have the beginnings of a journey. 0:09:35.538,0:09:36.689 But what would happen 0:09:36.713,0:09:38.847 if we actually end[br]violence against children? 0:09:38.871,0:09:40.468 Let's just imagine for a moment. 0:09:41.805,0:09:44.607 First of all, think of[br]the children I mentioned. 0:09:44.631,0:09:47.298 Sarah would no longer[br]lie in her bed at night, 0:09:47.322,0:09:49.695 fearful of the sound[br]of her stepfather's footsteps 0:09:49.719,0:09:51.119 coming up the stairs. 0:09:51.942,0:09:54.458 Faisal would go to school[br]and he would thrive. 0:09:54.482,0:09:56.887 He would no longer fear being at school 0:09:56.911,0:10:00.021 and being bullied and hit[br]and ashamed by the teachers. 0:10:01.757,0:10:04.383 And Angelika and those like her 0:10:04.407,0:10:07.994 would no longer be something,[br]a commodity brought online 0:10:08.018,0:10:10.910 for the enjoyment of adults[br]thousands of miles away. 0:10:11.887,0:10:13.619 But then multiply the social, 0:10:13.643,0:10:16.172 the economic, the cultural[br]benefits of that. 0:10:16.196,0:10:19.133 Multiply those by every family,[br]every community, 0:10:19.157,0:10:21.156 village, town, city, country 0:10:21.180,0:10:24.180 and suddenly, you've got[br]a new normal emerging. 0:10:24.204,0:10:28.050 A generation would grow up[br]without having experienced violence. 0:10:29.383,0:10:30.717 It will take us all. 0:10:31.114,0:10:33.760 But we do have an unprecedented[br]opportunity to try, 0:10:33.784,0:10:38.255 and I believe we also, as adults,[br]have a responsibility to do this. 0:10:39.644,0:10:41.636 And then when we're all asked, 0:10:41.660,0:10:43.279 "What do you do?" 0:10:43.303,0:10:46.223 each and every one of us can say, 0:10:46.247,0:10:48.374 "I'm changing the course of human history. 0:10:48.795,0:10:52.195 I'm doing my bit to end[br]violence against children." 0:10:52.633,0:10:54.847 Let's do this and do it now. 0:10:55.260,0:10:56.411 Thank you. 0:10:56.435,0:11:02.230 (Applause)