ISPCAN Melbourne Congress - Rise Up Policy Forum

The ISPCAN Rise Up Policy Forum is a global initiative to catalyse progress in advancing child protection through a public health and system strengthening approach. It brings together governments, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to build on momentum, develop domestic capacity, and translate into action the country pledges made at the Global Ministerial Conferences on Ending Violence Against Children by sharing knowledge, integrating research with practical policy responses, driving innovation, and advancing bold evidence-based solutions to prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect more effectively across diverse regions and systems.

The Policy Forum serves as a community of practice, where countries can engage in ongoing learning, cross-sector collaboration, and the co-creation of child protection strategies. It supports system strengthening by aligning efforts with global frameworks such as INSPIRE, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Sustainable Development Goals, and providing actionable solutions grounded in local data and realities. Discussions also focus on how to improve the accountability and sustainability of national child protection systems.

The first international Rise Up Policy Forum took place at ISPCAN’s International Congress in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2025 attended by 55 government representatives, and the second one will be in Melbourne, Australia in August of 2026.