Universal parenting support to prevent abuse and neglect: A policy call for national governments

UNICEF, WHO, and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children (SRSG/VAC) are launching a policy call for universal access to a minimum package of evidence-based parenting programmes designed to prevent child abuse and neglect. The event will be co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the UN and the Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN.

Adopting a minimum package of parenting interventions at the population level carries the potential to dramatically reduce neglect, abuse, and associated social, physical, and mental health outcomes.

The session will inform and give depth to the End Violence Partnership policy area and aim to build consensus around parenting programmes as a clear evidence-based intervention to accelerate change. A policy note will be launched to be adopted as a minimum and scalable package that governments should incorporate within a comprehensive, culturally and context-specific approach to parenting. It calls on governments to scale up publicly-supported parenting programmes and promote loving, nurturing, safe and supportive caregiving across the life cycle.