Reducing violence against children is a top priority for World Vision International (WVI). WVI implements community-based child protection programmes in 53 countries; these programs utilize a systems approach to address root causes of violence against girls and boys. They empower key actors to work together to create a protective environment that cares for and supports all children, especially the most vulnerable. WVI’s single global campaign, It Takes a World to End Violence Against Children, is active in 87 countries and impacts over 128 million children.
Representatives
Bill Forbes
Bill Forbes is the Global Lead of Child Protection and Participation for World Vision International. Bill provides strategic leadership to World Vision’s efforts to strengthen local prevention and response to abuse, exploitation and neglect of children as well as strengthening children’s voice and participation in the world’s most difficult places.
Previously, Bill worked for World Vision in Cambodia for 8 years, providing leadership to the Peace and Justice Program, which included a special focus on peace-building and on trafficking and sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
Bill has Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in International Development from Cornell University and Fuller Theological Seminary. Bill is based in Federal Way, WA (USA), where he enjoys life with his wife Heather, their children, and their always happy dog.
“The rigorous, organized, thoughtful, and learning approach to creating this movement was compelling. I’m thrilled to be representing World Vision International as part of the Brave Movement – this is a top priority for us, aligning with our global campaign It Takes a World to End Violence Against Children.
It is an opportunity to add our expertise, share knowledge, reflect, build synergies, and connect with other national movements and organizations.
For too long survivors’ voices have been missing from most efforts to end violence against children, but the Brave Movement’s wise, survivor-led approach is a critical step in taking this issue forward to enable meaningful change at local, national, and global levels. It will be a learning movement through which we can harness the force of our collective efforts for combined change.”