Childlight - Global Child Safety Institute

For more than three decades, Prof S. Caroline Taylor AM PhD has been one of Australia’s most influential survivor advocates – speaking publicly, often at great personal cost, about the reality of childhood sexual abuse and the urgent need for justice and reform. Caroline is also a co-founder of Brave Movement, helping to build a global movement of survivors and allies determined to end childhood sexual violence. In October 2026, Caroline will lead the 750km Truth Walk from Melbourne to Parliament House in Canberra, alongside fellow survivor advocates, to call for a Royal Commission into intrafamilial child sexual abuse – one of the most hidden forms of abuse worldwide. As Caroline continues to battle incurable cancer, this walk represents an extraordinary act of courage, determination and public service. Intrafamilial abuse has too often remained in the shadows despite evidence showing that family members account for a significant proportion of child sexual abuse globally. Survivors deserve recognition, protection, accountability and action. Please consider supporting Caroline and the Truth Walk through the GoFundMe campaign and help ensure survivors’ voices are heard. https://lnkd.in/eikgHYT3 #BeBrave #TruthWalk #EndChildhoodSexualViolence #ChildProtection #PublicHealth

During the 79th World Health Assembly last week, we had the privilege of bringing one of the most important conversations in global health to the floor through an official side event. Ending violence against children, including sexual abuse, affects up to one billion children every year. This is a preventable public health crisis which warrants a place at the heart of health systems worldwide. We are grateful to our event co-organiser, the Government of Iceland, and our co-sponsors the Governments of the Philippines and Costa Rica, ISPCAN, and the Child Protection Network Foundation (Philippines), all of whom made this possible. Thank you to our speakers for lending their expertise and leadership to this vital conversation: Dr Etienne Krug (World Health Organization), Dr Teodoro Javier Herbosa (Secretary of Health, Government of Republic of the Philippines), Dr Alma Möller (Minister of Health, Government of Iceland), Prof Deborah Fry (Childlight - Global Child Safety Institute), Dr Daniela Ligiero (Together for Girls), and Pragathi Tummala (ISPCAN / International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect). The discussion made clear that we have enough evidence to act towards ending violence against children, and political will to address this issue is growing. As we now approach the 2nd Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, hosted by the Government of the Philippines in Manila this November, we look forward to building on this momentum to create a safer world for every child. Explore the new data on the prevalence of child sexual exploitation and abuse here: https://lnkd.in/gxqrnWBN #ChildrenCantWait #WHA79 #ChildProtection #ChildHealth

Today Childlight has published new global estimates, showing that 1 in 4 children worldwide can expect to experience unwanted or pressured sexual interactions online. You can read about it here: https://lnkd.in/e9D5qtma This is not a marginal online safety issue. It is a global public health crisis affecting hundreds of millions of children annually – and it demands the same urgency, coordination and investment the world brings to other preventable threats to health and wellbeing. This abuse is preventable, not inevitable. That means health ministries must now play a central, funded and coordinating role within a truly multi-sectoral response alongside governments, technology companies, law enforcement, education and civil society. Today at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, we will be sharing this message with global leaders: protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse must become an incontestable public health priority. Behind every statistic is a child. And behind every child is a responsibility to act urgently. Children can't wait.

One day to go! Tomorrow we will unveil our latest estimates of the global prevalence of technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse. The numbers are shocking but the problem is preventable. Please join us in person 18:00 CET Tuesday for the launch at the World Health Assembly or register here to view it online and hear from our partners about the solutions we need to implement urgently because children can't wait. https://lnkd.in/eV44hkaA

Just one week to go so please register now to join us – in person or virtually – for a powerful official side event at the 79th World Health Assembly on ending violence against children. This interactive session will bring together the latest global evidence and frontline government leadership to advance prevention, improve early detection and drive more coordinated health system action. Alongside new global and regional data on sexual violence against children – a critical yet under-recognised driver of the global burden of disease linked to 14 adverse health outcomes – this event will create space for dialogue, reflection and exchange. Through a dynamic panel discussion and live Q&A, participants will have the opportunity to engage directly with speakers and shape the conversation. We’ll also spotlight country leadership and real-world experience, including: • Health minister Dr Alma Möller on Iceland's whole-of-government approach to early identification and trauma-informed care • Philippines health secretary Dr Teodoro Herbosa on the country’s experience embedding prevention and early intervention within health systems  • Important insights from the Government of Costa Rica 📅 Tues 19 May | 18:00–19:30. Refreshments from 17:30 📍 Room T, WHO HQ 🔗 Or register to view online here: https://lnkd.in/eNheXFqy Be part of a conversation that moves beyond sharing evidence – to shaping solutions that protect children and improve lifelong health outcomes. Ted Herbosa Deborah Fry Etienne Krug Pragathi Tummala Daniela Ligiero World Health Organization Helen Morton Sabine Rakotomalala, PhD Edda Magnus Natalia Bolaños Espinoza Páll Magnússon Bernadette Madrid Samrawit Gougsa

Thanks to our excellent panel and everyone else who joined our European Public Health Week debate, looking at how public health systems can respond more effectively to child sexual exploitation and abuse? Thanks also to EUPHA - European Public Health Association for the opportunity to take part in this important week of events. We heard from Deborah Fry about the scale of the problem and the enormous health impacts, with CSEA linked to mental health problems, self harm and reduced life expectancy. A recurring theme was that, despite these and the economic costs for societies, systems still tend to respond too late, after the harm has been done. However, we also heard of leadership from countries including Iceland, with Páll Magnússon of the Government of Iceland speaking to the country's prevention steps, including screening within primary school health services to enable early detection of children at risk of violence, and the Barnahus approach that brings services to reduce violence under one child-friendly roof. We also learned from Stavroula Spiropoulou of the real difference that the public health approach of Το Χαμόγελο του Παιδιού - The Smile of the Child, in partnership with the ministry of health, is making in Greece. F. Javier Zarzalejos Nieto, Chair of the European Parliament LIBE Committee, argued that the current situation represents a moral, societal and economic failure, and stressed that we must recognise this as "a public health crisis". He highlighted a range of important prevention-focused steps that the European Parliament has been taking, and it is hugely encouraging during this week, that it has emerged that the EU is to ban AI tools that generate CSAM. This is another excellent example of a public health approach in action and we hope for much more in this vein, urgently. Because children can't wait. #ChildrenCantWait #ChildHealth #EUPHW #PublicHealth

⏰ One day to go — last chance to register for our European Public Health Week debate on how public health systems can respond effectively to child sexual exploitation and abuse 🔽

With just days to go until our European Public Health Week debate on Tuesday 5 May (09:00–10:00), one question stands out: How can public health systems respond effectively to child sexual exploitation and abuse if the true scale remains underreported across Europe? At this session, Childlight will share new research and practical insights to help address exactly that — from long-term health impacts to what meaningful prevention looks like in practice. You’ll hear from leading experts including Deborah Fry, Stavroula Spiropoulou and Páll Magnússon alongside senior European decision-maker F. Javier Zarzalejos Nieto, Chair of the European Parliament LIBE Committee. Event chair: Prof Elena Martellozzo, PhD Expect: • Important Europe-wide data • A clearer picture of long-term health consequences • A focused discussion on what needs to change next 💬 Live Q&A — bring your questions Interest has been strong across the public health community, and with only a few days remaining, registration is closing soon. ⏰ Register now to secure your place: https://lnkd.in/eA_CmhF6 #ChildrenCantWait #ChildHealth #EUPHW #PublicHealth

Join us – in person or virtually – for an official side event at the 79th World Health Assembly. This interactive session brings together the latest global evidence and frontline government leadership to advance prevention, improve early detection and drive more coordinated health system action. Alongside new global and regional data on sexual violence against children – a critical yet under-recognised driver of the global burden of disease linked to 14 adverse health outcomes – this event will create space for dialogue, reflection and exchange. Through a dynamic panel discussion and live Q&A, participants will have the opportunity to engage directly with speakers and shape the conversation. We’ll also spotlight country leadership and real-world experience, including: • Health minister Dr Alma Möller on Iceland's whole-of-government approach to early identification and trauma-informed care • Philippines health secretary Dr Teodoro Herbosa on the country’s experience embedding prevention and early intervention within health systems 📅 Tues 19 May | 18:00–19:30 📍 Room T, WHO HQ 🔗 Or register to view online here: https://lnkd.in/eNheXFqy Be part of a conversation that moves beyond sharing evidence – to shaping solutions that protect children and improve lifelong health outcomes. Ted Herbosa Deborah Fry Etienne Krug Pragathi Tummala Daniela Ligiero World Health Organization Helen Morton Sabine Rakotomalala

Delighted to welcome UNODC Nigeria to discuss collaboration in common cause to prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse globally. Very interesting to learn from Danilo Campisi and Aishat Danai Braimah about UNODC’s country programme in Nigeria as Childlight prepares to produce country level CSEA prevalence data for West and Central Africa next year. Collaboration like this is essential to strengthening worldwide efforts to protect children. #Childrencantwait