Investing in child protection could save world economy $7 trillion a year, says new campaign ahead of G20 Summit
The Brave Movement, a global network of survivors and allies fighting to end violence against children, launches its “3rd Richest Nation campaign”, highlighting the enormous economic cost of childhood violence. A world without violence against children would be $7 trillion richer.
Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Friday, 7 November 2025, in the run-up to the G20 in South Africa on 22-23 November, the Brave Movement will launch the “3rd Richest Nation” (3RN) campaign, its largest-ever push to tackle violence against children. The global campaign imagines a fictional country whose $7 trillion GDP – making it the third wealthiest nation in the world – matches the economic cost of childhood violence. The nation isn’t real. But its wealth could be.
The 3RN campaign radically reframes the issue of violence against children from a moral imperative to an economic emergency, designed to motivate world leaders into action and bring violence prevention to the forefront of policy agendas.
Globally cited research led by an alliance of child protection agencies found that violence against children costs the world economy $7 trillion annually in expenditure and lost revenue – the result of increased costs to public services (e.g. law enforcement, social services, healthcare), combined with the reality of unearned income for survivors of childhood violence due to poor educational outcomes and lower productivity. Meanwhile, research reveals that prevention programs have delivered a return on investment of up to $21 per $1 spent.
3RN positions ending childhood violence as a powerful economic opportunity, calling on G20 leaders to prioritise prevention in their policy agendas. It spotlights the significant economic gains – from stronger healthcare and education systems to increased GDP and more productive workforces –that come with protecting children from violence.
Innovative and interactive campaign assets mimicking hallmarks familiar to genuine G20 countries bring the “3rd Richest Nation” to life, encouraging meaningful engagement with the issue of violence against children:
- Presidential Address – the campaign kicks off with a 60” film, featuring the fictional President, addressing fellow G20 leaders, crediting eradicating childhood violence for making them the world’s third richest nation. Using an innovative blend of live action and VFX, the President is an AI-generated amalgamation of 14 survivors of childhood violence, all of whom agreed to lend their likeness to the project, as well as guiding its message.
- The Digital Citizen Hub – every touchpoint across the campaign guides viewers to a dedicated website, 3RN.org, where they can become honorary citizens of the 3rd Richest Nation by pledging actions to end childhood violence.
- 3RN News – the nation’s dedicated news channel, which delivers daily news stories across social media, reporting ‘live’ from the imaginary country. With a unifying focus on the economic benefit of eradicating childhood violence, each news story dives into a specific shift that led to the 3rd Richest Nation’s financial success, from education policy to legal reform.
- Embassy Network – just like any G20 nation, the “3rd Richest Nation” has built a network of ambassadors around the world. Their task is to share the campaign’s message with thought leaders and policymakers both online and in-person. A blend of survivors and advocates, all ambassadors have been equipped with a bespoke embassy kit to help them spread the campaign’s message, complete with the country’s flag, currency (which double as informational flyers), passports (peppered with key facts to support their advocacy), and pins
- Tourism Campaign – in the days surrounding the G20, the campaign will drive awareness with a large-scale tourism campaign echoing the style of golden-age travel posters, evoking a utopian destination where children are safe and the economy thrives.
Dr Daniela Ligiero, CEO of Together for Girls, and Brave Movement Founder, says, “As survivors, we know the impact of failing to protect children. Eradicating childhood violence isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s also one of the greatest economic opportunities of our time. Through our innovative 3rd Richest Nation campaign, we are telling world leaders, now is the time to invest in your children. Now is the time to ensure they can fulfil their potential. Now is the time to keep them all safe.”
Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities in the National Executive, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, a survivor herself, highlighted the cost of inaction for South Africa, “We’ve calculated the lifelong cost of not doing this work and, in economic terms, it comes to the equivalent of 8.1% of our GDP — approximately US$33 billion,” she said. “For every R100 our country produces, R8 is drained away through the consequences of neglecting health, education and the safety of our youth. We have an urgent duty not only here in South Africa but around the world to protect our children and to ensure that they can have the greatest opportunity to thrive and live free from fear. This campaign is a bold rallying cry, the Third Richest Nation may not be a real country, but its wealth really could be and we are listening."
The 3RN campaign was created by cummins&partners, in collaboration with The Brave Movement, an initiative of Together for Girls, is a global survivor-led advocacy movement focused on ending all forms of childhood sexual violence. Together for Girls is a global partnership working to end sexual violence against children and adolescents.
ENDS
Notes to editors
About the campaign
The Brave Movement’s “3rd Richest Nation” campaign reframes ending childhood violence as a $7 trillion economic opportunity, using a fictional nation to mobilise global leaders ahead of the G20.
Released two weeks before the G20, the global campaign marks a major restructuring in how the issue of childhood violence is communicated to world leaders, and is designed to bring childhood protection to the forefront of G20 country policy agendas.
The 3rd Richest Nation’s economy would be the third largest in the world, due to its success in eradicating childhood violence.
The campaign highlights the significant economic gains – from stronger healthcare and education systems to increased GDP and more productive workforces – that come with protecting children from violence:
- Healthcare – the 3rd Richest Nation would be able to reduce child healthcare costs by 30%, saving billions by stopping childhood violence before it ever begins.
- Education – in the 3rd Richest Nation, secondary education completion would surge, due to children thriving in violence-free environments, boosting earning potential.
- GDP – ending childhood violence would boost the GDP of the 3rd Richest Nation by 3%.
- Workforce Protection – better investments in a child-protection workforce would reduce violence rates in the 3rd Richest Nation, whilst creating stable jobs.
- Child Marriage – proper investment to prevent violence against children would see child marriage eradicated, and more girls staying in school, increasing earning potential.
About the campaign assets
Created by cummins&partners, in collaboration with The Brave Movement, each asset is a hallmark familiar to G20 countries, bringing to life the Brave Movement’s campaign – and the 3rd Richest Nation itself.
As well as driving incremental reach and engagement across social media, the ambition of these original assets is to inspire G20 leaders to follow suit in their own administrations.
About the G20
The 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit is scheduled for 22–23 November 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” South Africa’s G20 presidency prioritises inclusive economic growth, social justice, climate action, and elevating the voice of the Global South. The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. https://g20.org/
About violence against children
2024 data from UNICEF highlights that violence against children is a global crisis, affecting the lives of billions of children worldwide.
- Every 4 minutes a child is killed by an act of violence.
- An estimated 90 million children alive today have experienced sexual violence.
- Violence takes the lives of about 130,000 children and adolescents under 20 each year on average.
About the economic impact of childhood violence
The Violence Prevention Dividend is comprehensive research supporting the argument that childhood violence prevention can be seen as both an economic opportunity and a moral imperative. Conducted by a consortium of child-focused agencies including the Office of the Special Representative on Violence against Children, UNICEF, World Vision International, ChildFund Alliance, Plan International and Save the Children International.
The costs and economic impact of violence against children report offers further insight from the ChildFund Alliance into how the $7 trillion figure was reached.
Research into the economic burden of violence against children in South Africa provides more context on this issue in the G20’s 2025 location.
About The Brave Movement
The Brave Movement is a global survivor-led advocacy movement focused on ending all forms of childhood sexual violence. It brings together organizations and individuals to engage in cutting-edge campaigns and advocacy, and creates pathways for the expertise, wisdom, and experiences of survivors to help inform the response of governments and global institutions around the world. The Brave Movement is an initiative of Together for Girls. See: www.bravemovement.org
About Together for Girls
Ending violence against children cannot be solved by a single actor or sector alone. Together for Girls is a global partnership working to end sexual violence against children and adolescents. Active in over 20 countries, Together for Girls unites actors that often do not work together, including national governments, United Nations entities, the private sector, civil society, and survivors. Through data and advocacy, Together for Girls drives action to break cycles of violence and ensure prevention, healing, and justice. See: www.togetherforgirls.org
Lori Char Together for Girls lori@togetherforgirls.org
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