Saint Kitts and Nevis speaks out during UN debate on high costs of violence

Inter-personal violence accounts for one death every 20 seconds and has ruinous effects on many others’ lives, the Foreign Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis told the United Nations today, calling on the General Assembly to take concerted action to reduce violence, particularly among the world’s youth.

“The human, social and financial costs of violence are unacceptably high and are escalating,” said Sam Condor, who is also his country’s Deputy Foreign Minister.

“In addition to physical injury and death, violence has a serious life-long impact on mental and physical health. Ultimately, because of its multi-sectoral impact, it slows economic and social development in those countries which can least afford this.”

Data indicates that about 4,300 deaths every day are attributable to inter-personal violence, he said, with half of those due to murder. In some countries the homicide rate is as high as 60 to 70 per 100,000 people.

But Mr. Condor told the fourth day of the Assembly’s annual general debate that an integrated approach among UN Member States to preventing inter-personal violence is “sadly lacking,” despite the efforts of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and others.

“There is yet no UN General Assembly resolution that calls for an integrated approach to all forms of inter-personal violence; no resolution that speaks to youth violence – one of the major contributors to high murder rates and social breakdown; and no resolution that emphasizes the necessity of a multi-sectoral response to this problem.”