Violence Ends With Us: Children and youth across Asia-Pacific unite to end violence against children
Manila, Philippines | April 2026 - Led by the Global Youth Led Movement, founded by Bryanna Mariñas, the “Violence Ends With Us: Regional Youth-Led Summit on Ending Violence Against Children” marks a historic milestone as the first-ever youth-led summit of its kind in the Asia-Pacific. Bringing together approximately 150 young delegates and supported by a coalition of partner organizations, including World Vision International, the summit places young people at the forefront of shaping solutions to end violence against children. World Vision is proud to support this ground breaking initiative, recognizing the power of youth leadership in driving meaningful and lasting change.
This is not a symbolic gathering; it is a shift in power.
The youth-led convening comes at a critical moment. At the 1st Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogotá, Colombia, governments committed to strengthening child protection systems and ensuring meaningful youth participation in decision-making. Yet across the Asia-Pacific, violence against children remains widespread, from online sexual exploitation and child marriage to corporal punishment, child labour, and unsafe reporting systems. What has been missing is not awareness, but meaningful inclusion of those most affected. This summit positions children and young people as leaders, decision-makers, and solution-builders, driving action, not just informing it.
Youth Voices Leading Change
Young leaders are speaking with clarity, urgency, and purpose:
Ming (18), Thailand, shared: “Many young people are never given the chance to speak, so when I have one, I use it to represent others. We are not just the future . We are the power of the present, and we can create change now.”
Ankhmaa (15), Mongolia, said: “Young people understand these challenges because we live them every day. When we are given the space to lead, we can create solutions that truly protect children.”
Aum (19), Thailand, added: “Every child deserves to grow up without fear. That begins when we are truly heard, respected, and supported to speak up.”
Their voices reflect a powerful truth: solutions are strongest when shaped by those who experience the challenges firsthand.
Turning Youth Leadership into Action
This summit goes beyond dialogue to drive implementation.
Through the summit, youth leaders will collaborate across borders to produce concrete outcomes, including a Regional Youth Agenda on Ending Violence Against Children, an ASEAN Youth Survey Report, and youth-led solutions developed through a regional hackathon. Winning teams will receive seed funding and technical support to pilot their ideas and present their results at the global ministerial conference in November 2026.
World Vision: Advancing Meaningful Child Participation
As a global child-focused humanitarian organisation, World Vision is supporting the summit to ensure young people play a central role in shaping child protection policies and solutions.
“Ending violence against children requires more than commitments. It requires listening to young people and trusting them as partners in designing solutions. This summit creates a powerful platform where children and youth voices can influence regional priorities and global action. When young people lead, change becomes more inclusive, more practical, and more sustainable,” said Faith Richelle Bullecer, Child Participation and Mobilization Advisor at World Vision East Asia. “Young people are not just participants, they are leading this movement,” she added.
Across Asia and the Pacific, World Vision continues to strengthen youth-led networks, support child participation platforms, and ensure young voices influence national, regional, and global child protection frameworks.
A Defining Moment for Global Impact
With the Philippines hosting the 2nd Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, the summit provides a six-month window for youth-led solutions to be tested, refined, and presented on the global stage. By bringing together young leaders, governments, and regional partners, “Violence Ends With Us” aims to ensure that the future of child protection in Asia-Pacific is shaped not only for young people, but with them and by them.