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WHO Council of Champions to End Violence Against Children.

The Council of Champions is a new, WHO-coordinated, international effort to generate collective political leadership on child protection.

Building from the landmark first Global Ministerial Conference on ending violence against children in late 2024 and looking to the Second – scheduled for November 2026 – an intensified effort is required to maintain momentum, protect hard-won gains and ensure maximum change for children.

The Council of Champions is a cohort of 10 Ministers from Member States who have demonstrated both a proven track record on ending violence against children and the appetite to dedicate political capital to this pressing public health issue.

Regionally- and gender-representative, the Council will serve as a powerful, united voice to champion the centrality of health, social development and justice systems in ending violence against children – showcasing national leadership, accelerating global momentum and demonstrating the value of cross-regional collaboration in shifting political priority for this often-neglected agenda.

As a first signal of intent, the Council of Champions (representing the governments of Albania, Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, France, Jordan, Oman, Nigeria, Philippines and Timor-Leste) have today published a collective Op-Ed. Please consider reading and sharing this powerful piece.

With a strategic programme of action for the coming year, the Council of Champions looks forward to joining allies in maximising the Ministerial moment, delivering real change for children affected by violence.