Henry Smith MP has joined actor and UNICEF UK Ambassador Michael Sheen in calling for an end to violence against children, and supporting the Children in Danger campaign.

Henry said;

“It is abhorrent that all around the world, children are attacked, exploited, abused and killed.

“I was pleased to meet Michael and discuss the work he has done to raise awareness for UNICEF UK. It was interesting to talk about his recent visit to Guatemala, where he mentioned some of the harrowing stories he had heard.”

In July 2014, the Prime Minister held Britain’s first Girl Summit with UNICEF, which brought together governments, organisations, and women, girls and community leaders from all over the world. 

The UK Government is already working to reduce Female Genital Mutilation, working with local communities in 15 countries to change attitudes, and to encourage governments and local leaders to support new laws to ban this practice.

UK aid is ensuring more children are going to school, and Britain is helping to train 190,000 new teachers. By the end of 2014, the UK would have helped over 4.5 million girls to attend primary school.

The UK is also protecting millions of children against preventable diseases by funding programmes to vaccinate over 80 million children which will help to save 1.4 million lives.

Henry continued;

“As a father myself, it is sometimes difficult to comprehend the horrors that children across the globe ensure.

“It is essential that these issues are on the agenda when the world comes together to decide on the Sustainable Development Goals, the successor to the Millennium Development Goals which expire this year.”