A/71/304 safe environment. Importantly, children and adolescents have a right to be free from violence and to healthy development. 47 96. As the global community is concerned by the increasing prevalence of collective violence, including violent extremism, it is important to note how the relationship between collective violence and interpersonal forms of violence may reinforce and feed one another. For example, violence against children in families can lead to high prevalence of youth violence and may contribute to the phenomenon of violent extremism. 45 Prohibiting boys from expressing emotions from an early age, enforcing a toxic and primitive understanding of masculinity, has been linked to acts of extreme violence by young men and reinforced a tendency to join groups and movements that are involved in collective violence. 97. Rights-compliant violence prevention strategies require a modern public health approach, leaving behind the ineffective and brutal legacy of retributive and punitive means to curb violence. These approaches point to an investment in healthy, non-violent and respectful interpersonal relations. This can include various psychosocial interventions, such as training of parents to raise children in non-violent ways, anti-bullying programmes in schools, and empowerment of persons in vulnerable situations. 48 Through these interventions, the resilience and protective factors in individuals, families and communities a re harnessed and promoted. 98. Addressing violence proactively as a public health issue can end the vicious cycle of violence, poverty and helplessness. For this, it is vital that investment in healthy human relationships, emotional and social well-being and social capital be prioritized. V. Conclusions and recommendations 99. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals reflect an unprecedented political commitment that offers opportunities for the realization of the right to health and other human rights. However, to turn this political commitment into reality, pledges must be firmly grounded in international human rights law and the legally binding obligations to promote and protect human rights, including the right to health. 100. The 2030 Agenda makes a strong call to “ensure that no one is left behind” and “reach the furthest behind first”. This reflects the need to seriously address inequities, inequality and discrimination as major threats to global development, which is of crucial importance for the effective realization of the right to health. 101. The Sustainable Development Goals and the right-to-health framework have much to offer each other. Importantly, where the health-related Goals show weakness and lack of clarity with regard to implementation, the right to health will be a powerful tool to ensure effective and equitable achievement of the Goals. Embedding equity, non-discrimination and equality, participation __________________ 47 48 16-13597 Convention on the Rights of the Child, arts. 6, 19 (1) and 24; and Committee on the Rights of the Child, general comment No. 13, para. 7 (a)-(c). UNODC, “Compilation of evidence-based family skills training programmes”. Available from www.unodc.org/documents/prevention/family-compilation.pdf. 23/26