Violence

EMRO

Each year, over 1.6 million people worldwide lose their lives to violence. Violence is among the leading causes of death for people aged 15-44 years worldwide, accounting for 14% of deaths among males and 7% of deaths among females. For every person who dies as a result of violence, many more are injured and suffer from a range of physical, sexual, reproductive and mental health problems. Moreover, violence places a massive burden on national economies, costing countries billions of US dollars each year in health care, law enforcement and lost productivity. WHO works with partners to prevent violence through scientifically credible strategies that are conceived and implemented in relation to causes at the levels of the individual, family, community and society.

Featured publications and resources

World report on violence and health The first comprehensive review of the problem of violence on a global scale. Manual for estimating the economic cost of injuries due to interpersonal and self-directed violence [pdf 1.54Mb]

Violence prevention: the evidence An eight-part series of briefings on the evidence for interventions to prevent interpersonal and self-directed violence. Statistics Global and regional numbers and rates of violence-related deaths and disability in relation to non-injury causes of death and in relation to other injury causes.

Prevention activities

Violence prevention in other WHO departments

Violence fact sheets

Full list of violence publications and resources

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