In an effort to combat the unspeakable violence being faced by millions of children worldwide, Alex Cunningham has renewed his pledge of support to Unicef UK by becoming a Parliamentary Champion and undertaking to continue working hard to promote and pursue the best outcomes for our children here in the UK.
A strong advocate for children in Westminster and across Teesside, Stockton North’s Labour MP has signed up to support the Unicef UK’s Children in Danger campaign to help raise awareness about the violence and abuse that children suffer around the world and to galvanise political support in the UK to tackle it. This includes protecting children in humanitarian emergencies and tackling child trafficking here in the UK.
Unicef UK advocates for children’s rights, both in the UK and internationally, and works with parliamentarians from all political parties to ensure children around the world are protected. The organisation’s Parliamentary Champions Network is a cross-party group of MPs and Peers who support the charity’s work to tackle violence against children worldwide, including child trafficking here in the UK.
Alex said:
“I was alarmed to learn from Unicef UK’s recent report that a child is killed by violence every five minutes while the threat of abuse and exploitation overshadows the lives of many more. Equally shocking was the revelation that as many as one-third of children who fall victim to violence are likely to develop long-lasting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, displaying brain activity similar to that of soldiers exposed to combat.
“Worryingly, the vast majority are killed outside warzones while physical, sexual and emotional abuse is widespread with millions of children unsafe in their own homes, their schools and their communities.
“It is clear that more needs to be done to protect vulnerable children and those at risk of suffering violence, and it is right that the UK works proactively to lead from the front and drive efforts to secure a global commitment to end violence against children in all its forms.
“I am therefore pleased to resume my work with Unicef UK and will continue to do all that I can to ensure that measures are put in place to safeguard the health, education and wellbeing of children around the world, and that the issue of violence against children remains a priority on the post-2015 agenda.”
