- Message of the UN Secretary-General to the Meeting on UN Collaboration for the Prevention of Interpersonal Violence


- Statement by participants in the Meeting on UN Collaboration for the Prevention of Interpersonal Violence


- Guide to United Nations resources and activities for the prevention of interpersonal violence

On 15-16 November 2001, the World Health Organization hosted a meeting of United Nations agencies in Geneva to document their on-going work in preventing interpersonal violence and to identify areas and activities for future collaboration across agencies on the topic. The Meeting on United Nations Collaboration for the Prevention of Interpersonal Violence addressed the everyday acts of violence and crime, involving physical, psychological and sexual aggression and deprivation and afflicting families, communities, schools and workplaces in societies around the world.

Participating agencies were the International Labour Office, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, the United Nations Non-governmental Liaison Service, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the University for Peace, the World Bank and the World Health Organization. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan prepared a message in support of the meeting, noting that the roots of violence are deep and complex, and its prevention requires collaboration across all sectors of society and the engagement of many parts of the United Nations family.

The meeting produced two main products: a Guide to United Nations resources and activities for the prevention of interpersonal violence , which is a compilation of responses to a survey developed by WHO in advance of the meeting, and a statement prepared by the participants. Through the statement, participants acknowledged the impact of interpersonal violence on health, development, human rights, human security, and peace; recognized the major role that most United Nations agencies have to play in preventing interpersonal violence; and committed to collaborate on joint activities in the areas of advocacy, data collection and analysis, research, and prevention. Although United Nations agencies have often successfully collaborated to prevent war-related violence, WHO is pleased with the success of this first meeting of United Nations agencies to commit to collaborate to prevent acts of everyday violence around the world.