Financial investment in development aid for childhood protection

The Scorecard findings paint a deeply troubling picture of G7 nations’ financial commitments to prevent and address childhood sexual violence globally. Official Development Assistance (ODA)—the primary financial mechanism for tackling violence against children in lower and middle-income countries in all its forms—has not been prioritized at the level necessary to make a meaningful impact.

Only Germany has met the UN’s 0.7% GNI target for ODA, however this will be affected by the incoming coalition’s plans to reduce ODA spending (1). UNICEF funding from countries across the G7—crucial for child protection globally—reflects the same troubling pattern, with Germany emerging as the only country to currently contribute an adequate share (USD 10.93 per capita), while Italy, Japan, and the United States trail far behind.

Looking to the future, we are witnessing an alarming trend towards further contractions in aid budgets, both within the G7 and globally. The Scorecard’s findings take note of government announcements regarding commitments to future ODA spending, identifying that four out of seven governments have either begun or plan to start implementing major cuts to ODA budgets in coming years.

These cuts will undoubtedly jeopardize vital programmes designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse, and risk reversing hard-won progress in the fight against childhood sexual violence.