Children's Declaration presented at the Sub-Regional Meeting for Follow-up to the UN Study on Violence against Children in the Caribbean - Jamaica
15/05/2012
"Today, we the delegates present to you our declaration first because we would like to think of it as strategy to get you to listen to what we have to say before you formulate the plans you have for us. This would further concrete the reason as to why you are here to first ask us what we think as opposed to you planning and deciding and then asking. Therefore we would like to present our points and hope that our voices won’t be left in this conference room.
Violence against Children in the spotlight at Caribbean meeting co-organized by SRSG Marta Santos Pais
13/05/2012
Caribbean leaders converged at the Jamaica Conference Centre May 14-15, to discuss stepping up efforts to tackle the regional epidemic of violence against children.
Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on Violence against Children, Marta Santos Pais, and Jamaica’s Minister of Youth and Culture the Hon. Lisa Hanna, were among 150 delegates from CARICOM Member-States, civil society groups and adolescents who participated in the meeting.
The meeting was hosted by the Government of Jamaica and co-organized with the SRSG, the Global Movement for Children in Latin America and the Caribbean and CARICOM.
Marta Santos Pais emphasizes importance of juvenile justice system based on the respect of the rights of the child in her message to the 21st Session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
30/04/2012
The SRSG on Violence against Children, Marta Santos Pais, participated in the 21st Session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice that took place in Vienna.
The SRSG emphasized the importance of a juvenile justice system based on the respect of the rights of the child for the prevention and elimination of incidents of violence against children.
“It is critical to consolidate a child sensitive and non-intimidating justice environment within which children’s freedom from violence can be safeguarded at all times, including in cases of deprivation of liberty”, added Marta Santos Pais.
SRSG welcomes the accession by Malaysia to the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography
16/04/2012
NEW YORK, 16 April 2012 - The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children, Marta Santos Pais, welcomes the accession by the Government of Malaysia to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography.
“With this important decision Malaysia expresses a decisive commitment to secure children’s protection from violence and prevent the risk of their exploitation as victims of sale, prostitution and pornography.”
International Day for Street Children 12 April - Statement of support by the SRSG on VAC, Marta Santos Pais
12/04/2012
“It is easy to get beaten if you are a street boy. People can rape you. There is nothing you can do but run away if you are lucky”
Boy, 12 living in the street. Eastern and Southern Africa. 2005 (UN Study on Violence against Children)
“In joining the commemoration on April 12 of the International Day for Street Children, I reiterate my strong support to the promotion of the rights of children living and or working on the streets, including their protection from all forms of violence.
Human Rights Council Thematic Debate on "Children and the Administration of Justice"
08/03/2012
On Thursday, March 8, the SRSG Santos Pais participated in the Thematic Debate on:"Children and the Administration of Justice" in the afternoon panel: "Children deprived of liberty and children of incarcerated parents: protection and realization of their rights".
The meeting contributed to take stock of the implementation of the Convention to achieve a better understanding of the situation of children in conflict and in contact with the law, identifying main challenges and recommendations to move forward in accordance with international standards.
The webcast of the event can be found here.
19th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council - Presentation of Third Annual Report of the SRSG on Violence against Children
07/03/2012
The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children (SRSG), Marta Santos Pais, presented her new report during the 19th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on 7 March 2012, in Geneva. The Interactive Dialogue on Violence and Sale of Children was webcast live by the United Nations Webcast and is available here.
Side event at Human Rights Council - Launching of SRSG publication on "Tackling Violence in Schools – Bridging the gap between standards and practice"
06/03/2012
Within the framework of the debate on the Rights of the Child in the Human Rights Council, the Office of the SRSG, with the support of the Government of Norway and in cooperation with the Council of Europe, Plan International and Child Helpline International, organized a panel discussion on Protecting children from violence in school – Bridging the gap between standards and practice. The event took place at the Human Rights Council, in Geneva, Room XXVII, on 6 March at 1.00pm.
SRSG on Violence against Children participates as key note speaker in side events during the Commission on the Status of Women
02/03/2012
The fifty-sixth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is being held at the United Nations Headquarters, in New York, until Friday, 9 March 2012. This year’s priority theme is “The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges”. The emerging issue for this session is “Engaging young women and men, girls and boys, to advance gender equality”.
The SRSG participated on 28 February in a side event on "Ending the Silence: The impact of Early and Forced Marriage on Rural Girls”.
SRSG welcomes strong political support at signing ceremony of the third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
28/02/2012
The SRSG welcomes the strong political support to the third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on a Communications procedure expressed during the signing ceremony that took place today in Geneva.
This new Protocol will allow children to bring complaints to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Twenty States signed the Protocol, namely: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Maldives, Mali, Montenegro, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Uruguay.
