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Global status report on violence prevention 2014
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Violence is ubiquitous. Its diverse forms have destructive consequences and significantly affect the lives of people, families and communities worldwide. Its negative consequences include substance addiction, depression, suicide, school dropout, unemployment and recurrent interpersonal difficulties. Violence affects the lives of millions of people with long-lasting impact. It hampers development and recovery in conflict-ridden countries exacerbating societal divisions, perpetuating poverty, spreading crime and occasionally leading to war.
This Report jointly brought out by the World Health Organization, United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime focuses on interpersonal violence. It documents the progress made by countries in implementing the recommendations of the 2002 “World report on violence and health.” The Report specifically aimed to collect data on violence to inform planning and action. It assessed the status of current programmes, policy and legislative measures and examined available healthcare, social and legal services for victims. It also aimed to identify gaps in national plans.
Data for the Report were systematically collected using a four-step process: (i) detailed questionnaires were provided to key respondents across government ministries, (ii) consensus meetings were held, (iii) validation of data submitted against independent databases, and (iv) review of the final Report. The Report highlights data from 133 countries, covering 6.1 billion people and representing 88% of the world's population. It lists the national plans, deterrence strategies, prevention programmes, legal statutes, victim services, and databases. The country profiles catalogue national action plans related to different types of violence, firearm and alcohol use in addition to social and educational policies.
It recognizes that deaths and injuries are only a fraction of the burden of interpersonal violence. The Report also documents the fact that key data on violence are often lacking. It bemoans that national action plans are not always informed by evidence. It recognizes that while countries are beginning to invest in prevention, the scale of interventions do not match the burden of violence. It highlights that while violence prevention laws are widely enacted, their enforcement is often inadequate. It acknowledges that the services and support for victims vary markedly across regions and countries.
The Report argues for improved data collection, evidence-based action, comprehensive national plans and their integration with health and social service platforms. It argues for the need to strengthen the global violence prevention agenda, and mechanisms for leadership and coordination, to increase collaboration between countries, international organizations and donors and build capacity. It suggests that interpersonal violence is a universal challenge, and that no country can rest on its laurels unless it is successfully addressed.
The Report provides an overview of efforts to prevent interpersonal violence across countries. It summaries problems, perspectives and suggests recommendations to improve services and reduce violence. It lists the current state of the efforts being made towards violence prevention against which future progress can be measured.
