Protecting children from violence and creating conditions that allow young people to grow up in safe and healthy environments are core concerns of the Sustainable Development Goals, launched by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. Cities play a major part in these efforts. Their capacity to address violence against children can be supported with evidence on the conditions that put children at risk, the factors that enhance resilience, and the strengths and limitations of existing provisions. 

The Evidence for Better Lives Study (EBLS) is an innovative global birth-cohort study in eight cities across the world. In each city, the early childhood development of 1500 children within their family and community contexts will be tracked. The study will examine exposure to violence and other adverse experiences while also striving to illuminate how families in different cultures raise and support their children. In each site, the study will be accompanied by efforts to introduce and evaluate multi-sectoral prevention packages that can help young children to achieve their full developmental and learning potential. 

This report aims to identify needs and resources for addressing violence against children in eight cities in middle-income countries, namely Kingston (Jamaica), Koforidua (Ghana), Worcester (South Africa), Cluj-Napoca (Romania), Tarlai (Pakistan), Ragama (Sri Lanka), Hue (Vietnam) and Valenzuela (Philippines).

For more information about the study: https://www.vrc.crim.cam.ac.uk/vrcresearch/EBLS

For the full article: please go here 

UPDATE: 

Evidence for Better Lives: Impact Activities
Sara Valdebenito, Manuel Eisner and the EBLS Consortium
June 2020

Please click here to see more.

The EBLS research videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tOrggr_pXg&t=4s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0WLc4Bcspw

The 2nd EBLS Symposium on 25 November 2019 at Jesus College Cambridge:

For more photos:  https://lucindaprice.smugmug.com/2019-Clients/Criminology-event-25-November-2019/n-Pg6csx/