SRSG on Violence against Children - Publications

Political Commitments by Regional Organizations and Institutions to Prevent and Address Violence against Children

From Foreword by SRSG on Violence against Children

"The collaboration with regional organizations and institutions to advance implementation of the recommendations of the UN Study on Violence against Children has been a critical dimension of this process.

In the past two years, considerable progress has been achieved in this area with a growing institutionalization of regional governance structures and the development of regional initiatives. Leading regional organizations and institutions have pledged to protect children from violence, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States, the South Asia Initiative to End Violence against Children (SAIEVAC), States in the Asia Pacific Region, the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), the MERCOSUR Permanent Commission Nin@sur, the Council of Europe, the European Union, the African Union and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

The commitments assembled in this publication open avenues for enhanced national implementation efforts and accelerated progress in securing children’s right to freedom from violence, everywhere and at all times. And they are also a strong reminder that violence against children is not inevitable and can be effectively prevented and addressed."

Tackling Violence in Schools: Bridging the Gap between Standards and Practice

From Foreword by SRSG on Violence against Children

"For child victims of violence, school can become an ordeal rather than an opportunity.

The promise and potential of education and the excitement of discovery and learning are undermined by pain, trauma and fear. In some cases children’s academic performance suffers, their health and wellbeing is affected, and their capacity to operate as confident individuals, capable of developing open and trusting relations with others, is compromised. The negative impact of violence in schools goes beyond the children who are directly affected by it. It touches the lives of those who witness it, creating an atmosphere of anxiety and insecurity incompatible with learning.

Recognizing the crucial importance of education in safeguarding children’s rights, and of violent-free schools as catalysts for non-violence in the communities that they serve, the Norwegian Government, the Council of Europe and my own office joined hands in the organization in June 2011, in Oslo, of an expert consultation on tackling violence in schools.

I am confident that this report, which includes the key conclusions and recommendations of the expert consultation, will be a crucial contribution to raise awareness of the important initiatives promoted across nations to prevent and address violence against children in schools and to mobilize decisive action to accelerate progress in violence prevention and elimination."

Prevention and Responses to Violence against Children within the Juvenile Justice System

From Introduction 

"In its resolution 18/12 of 24 September 2011 on human rights in the administration of justice, in particular juvenile justice, the Human Rights Council invited the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children to collaborate in the organization of an expert consultation on prevention of and responses to violence against children within the juvenile justice system and to submit a report thereon.

The Expert Consultation took place in Vienna on 23-24 January 2012. It was hosted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and co-organized with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, in cooperation with the Government of Austria. Participants included representatives from international and regional human rights bodies,  governmental and State institutions, academia and civil society.

The Expert Consultation focused on the risks and systemic factors contributing to violence against children within the juvenile justice system, and strategies and practical recommendations to prevent and respond to violence against children within the juvenile justice system.

This report is informed by the results of the consultation and a research paper conducted by an independent consultant, Ann Skelton, of the University of Pretoria, South Africa."

Safe and child-sensitive counselling, complaint and reporting mechanisms to address violence against children 

From Foreword by SRSG on Violence against Children and Special Rapporteur on Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography

"Counselling, complaint and reporting mechanisms constitute critical remedies to address breaches of children’s rights, including violence in all its forms. Their development is anchored in international human rights standards and, in view of their urgency, the Brazil Congress against the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents called on their establishment in all countries by 2013. 

The need for safe, well-publicized, confidential and accessible mechanisms for children to report incidents of violence was also a serious area of concern addressed by the UN Study on Violence against Children. The Study recommended their establishment, including through telephone helplines which children can access to report abuse, speak to a trained counsellor in confidence, and ask for support and advice.

The Study underscored the need to make all children, including those in care and justice institutions, aware of the existence of complaint mechanisms and recommended that in every locality and every setting there should be well-publicized and easily accessible services to investigate reports of violence against children.

Based on information received from national governments and many other stakeholders, as well as research conducted, this report provides an overview of existing counseling, complaint and reporting mechanisms,drawing attention to positive developments and persisting challenges. (...)"

Protecting children from harmful practices in plural legal systems

From Foreword

Across regions, millions of children continue to suffer from various forms of harmful practices, including female genital mutilation, early and forced marriage, breast ironing, son preference, female infanticide, virginity testing, honour crimes, bonded labour, forced feeding and nutritional taboos, accusation of witchcraft, as well as a great number of other less known practices.

Harmful practices may be traditional or emerging, but generally have some cultural, social or religious underpinning. Common for most harmful practices is that they have devastating consequences on the child’s life, development, health, education and protection.

The UN Study on Violence against Children urged States to prohibit by law all forms of violence against children, including harmful practices. This recommendation is a key priority for the mandate of the Special representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children as well as for Plan International. To advance progress in the implementation of this recommendation, they co-organized an expert consultation, in June 2012. This thematic report was informed by those important discussions.

We are confident that the conclusions and recommendations highlighted in this report, calling for the harmonization of national legislation, customary and religious laws with international human rights standards, and the introduction of a legal prohibition of harmful practices, supported by a steady process of implementation to prevent and address those practices, will help to accelerate progress in children’s protection from harmful practices across regions.

We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration to prevent and eliminate all violence and harmful practices against children everywhere and at all times.

 ANALYTICAL REGIONAL STUDIES ON VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

Mapeo Región América del Sur Implementación de las Recomendaciones del Estudio Mundial sobre la Violencia contra los Niños y Niñas

Prefacio Marta Santos Pais

"Es para mí una gran satisfacción presentar el Mapeo Región América del Sur sobre la Implementación de las Recomendaciones del Estudio Mundial sobre la Violencia contra los Niños y Niñas. Este mapeo es uno de los principales resultados del procesoregional promovido en alianza con los Estados de América del Sur, con el Capítulo Latinoamericano ydel Caribe del Movimiento Mundial por la Infancia (mmi-clac) en el que están representados unicefy una fuerte coalición de representantes de la sociedad civil, y con la participación de las niñas, niñosy adolescentes, para dar seguimiento a las recomendaciones del Estudio Mundial.

El mapeo analiza el progreso alcanzado en la implementación de las tres recomendaciones priorizadas por mi mandato. El resultado del análisis regional muestra resultados muy positivos que evidencian las acciones promovidas a nivel de fortalecimiento del derecho interno de los Estados para prevenir y proteger a la infancia frente a la violencia. 

(…)El proceso promovido para la elaboración del mapeo ha permitido identificar progresos y desafíos en materia de lucha contra la violencia contra los niños en Sudamérica. 

Tengo la convicción de que el mapeo y la hoja de ruta regional continuarán siendo un referente político y técnico fundamental para continuar fortaleciendo los esfuerzos regionales y nacionales con la finalidad de asegurar una región sudamericana donde la violencia contra los niños no tenga lugar."

Mapeo Estado de situación de los países de Centroamérica, México, Cuba, y República Dominicana en relación con la violencia contralos niños, niñas y adolescentes en seguimiento al Estudio de Naciones Unidas sobre la Violencia contra los Niños

Prólogo Marta Santos Pais

"Este importante Mapeo es el resultado de un proceso amplio, comprehensivo y participativo desarrollado durante mi mandato como Representante Especial del Secretario General sobre la Violencia contra los Niños para avanzar el proceso de implementación de las recomendaciones del Estudio sobre la Violencia contra los Niños. El Mapeo fue promovido en el marco de la alianza estratégica con el Movimiento Mundial por la Infancia en América Latina y El Caribe (MMI-LAC).

Como acertadamente identifica el Mapeo, la agenda regional debe integrar la obligación de los Estados de garantizar la integración de un enfoque comprensivo de los derechos humanos, incluyendo los derechos de las niñas, niños y adolescentes en todos los contextos, entre ellos la agenda de la seguridad pública. Por ello, a partir de las iniciativas promovidas conjuntamente con el MMI-LAC, desde mi mandato continuaremos trabajando cercanamente con el SICA y con los Estados de la región con la finalidad de contribuir a integrar un enfoque comprensivo de los derechos del niño en los esfuerzos regionales que trascienden la temática de la prevención de la violencia juvenil, y promuevan la consolidación de una visión regional que respeta y protege los derechos del niño, la niña y el adolescente.

Finalmente, me gustaría subrayar que este Mapeo constituye una nueva línea de base sobre la situación de la violencia contra la niñez en Centroamérica, que identifica prácticas y esfuerzos positivos; así como, los grandes desafíos que persisten en materia de protección de la infancia frente a la violencia. Las conclusiones del Mapeo; así como, la Declaración de Santo Domingo y la Hoja de Ruta Regional formulada por los participantes en el Encuentro Centroamericano de Seguimiento al Estudio Mundial son herramientas estratégicas para generar sinergias, consolidar progresos y avanzar hacia el desarrollo de una región donde ninguna forma de violencia es tolerada."

The Comparative Arab Report on Implementing the Recomendations of the UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence against Children

Foreword by Dr. Sima Bahous,Assistant Secretary

"The Social Sector at the League of Arab States (LAS) is pleased to present “The Comparative Arab Report on Implementing the Recommendations of The UN Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against hildren”, which was prepared by the Department of Family and Childhood (DFC), in its capacity as the Technical Secretariat of the Arab Childhood Committee. Following extensive regional consultations on the efforts of Arab States to protect children against violence, and a study conducted to this end, this Comparative Arab Report evaluates the efforts of 19 Arab countries to end violence against children, and presents a pan-Arab vision of future steps needed to provide protection for children against all forms of violence and abuse.

The Comparative Arab Report was first launched in Beirut – Lebanon in 2011 in the presence of representatives of States members of the League of Arab States and the United Nations Secretary- General’s Special Representative on Violence Against Children (UNSRSG). The Report was also presented during the Fourth High-Level Arab Conference on the Rights of the Child (Marrakesh 2010) as one of the key reference documents for The Second Arab Plan of Action for Childhood. It is recognized in the Annual Report of the UNSGSR to the United Nations General Assembly (65/A/262) as “the first regional initiative worldwide in this respect, and the foundation for identifying needed reforms in the area of legislation related to ending violence against children”.

The findings of this Arab Comparative Report indicate that, in general, the Arab states have made considerable progress in recognizing the problem of violence against children, in developing policies, and enacting necessary legislations, and, in building institutions and establishing counter-violence mechanisms. It includes a policy document on actionable recommendations, and a list of proposed programmes and activities.

I would also like to express gratitude to all the institutions and bodies that are addressing the issues of children and violence against children in the Arab World. And, last but not least, I extend special thanks to Mrs. Marta Santos Pais, the UNSRSG on Violence Against Children for her dedicated efforts, and to UNICEF MENARO for their support."