Every day, millions of children around the world live with violence- in their homes, in their schools, and communities in conflict zones. It is a reality that can be changed by society itself. So why, despite promises made at global summits and conferences, do more than half of the world’s children remain at risk of abuse, neglect, and exploitation? This week, over 130 countries unite for the first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children to turn an urgent aspiration into action.

The core of the agenda is Agenda 2030, a bold commitment to end all forms of violence against children by aligning with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This goal, however, faces a severe setback. Without rapid progress, the world will fail to protect the one billion children suffering abuse annually—a devastating sign of global failure.

Violence against children can be in the form of a slap at home, abuse in schools, gun violence on the streets, or horrors in war zones. Trauma affects young lives far into the future, with the effects lasting a lifetime, increasing the risk for mental illness, chronic health problems, and social instability. The ripple effects of violence do not stop at the individual child level but also impact the basic foundation of societies, where billions of dollars are lost in lost potential, health expenses, and reduced economic productivity.

Yet there is hope. There are proven effective, low-cost interventions. Among them are programs and policies that foster positive parenting, safe schools, support survivors of trauma, and cut access to violent media, child pornography, and online predators. In just a few short years, some countries show reductions of 50% or more in rates and long-term effects for generations yet to come from preventing violence and trauma in the first place.

This conference will be held in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the UN. This will be a turning point, as it unites governments, survivors, child advocates, and experts to secure funding for solutions that make every child safe at home, school, and communities.

However, while the blueprints and frameworks are in place globally, the will to act must improve. Patchy progress and weak responses put millions of children in peril. As Nelson Mandela rightly said, “Safety and security don’t just happen; they are the result of collective consensus and investment.” If leaders intend to fulfill their promise about ending violence against children, they need to act on their promises and not only commit but also invest decisively.

With a billion children remaining at risk, this is a rare chance: This requires courage; it sets children’s safety above the nervousness of politics. Simple enough, perhaps, but not exactly easy. Such choices have required bold leadership for some vulnerable people on earth—the world’s most endangered. Will it take today’s leaders or tomorrow to end the pain for them? The world’s current leaders will find the answers in their present-day deeds.

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