Every day, millions of children throughout the world are subjected to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence in different settings, including in their homes, schools, communities and work environments. As a result, children experience impacts on their physical and mental health, their education and their overall quality of life. The consequences of violence on children are often intergenerational, with those who have faced violence as a child more likely to become a violent adult. This cycle has a long-term impact on a family’s economic wellbeing. This briefing paper presents the main findings of a report commissioned by ChildFund Alliance, exploring the economic impacts and costs of violence against children. It presents a summary of the available evidence from different countries and provides some estimates of the global costs of violence and exploitation against children.
The briefing discusses government spending to prevent and respond to violence against children as well as good preventive practices. It also provides some policy recommendations. In summary, this report finds that there are significant costs for individuals, communities, governments and economies from the different forms of violence against children. In the case of global costs resulting from physical, psychological and sexual violence, these costs can be as high as 8% of global GDP. Considering other forms of violence, such as children’s involvement in hazardous work, the global costs are estimated to be $97 billion every year, which is equivalent to seven times Iceland’s 2013 GDP. The economic impact of another form of violence against children – that of children associated with armed forces or groups – has been estimated to be $144 million annually.