BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE – The United States of America (USA) Government, through The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and CDC is a proud financial and technical partner for an important survey.
This important Survey is for the Eswatini Violence Against Children and Youth 2022 (VACS) data to action workshop.
Outing the late Nelson Mandela, Chargé d’Affaires Earl Miller said “There can be no keener revelation of society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”
Furthermore, he said, Globally, it has been estimated that the economic impact of violence against children can be as high as 7 trillion US dollars.
“This is a cost that is much higher than the investment needed to prevent the violence. I hope we see this as a call to action. Much of this violence and the associated human and economic costs can be averted with strong political will, whole-of-government leadership, and evidence-based policies and interventions that are adequately funded,” he said.
Chargé d’affaires Earl Miller also commended The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office Eswatini for its leadership in this important work.
He mentioned that violence against children and youth can lead to lifelong health problems. Children who experience violence have higher risks for health and social problems, such as chronic disease, HIV, mental health issues, substance misuse, and reproductive health problems. Violence also leads to continued cycles of violence, as young people who experience violence are more likely to perpetrate violence against others later in life.
