HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL HOLDS SPECIAL EVENT ON VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

The Human Rights Council this afternoon held a special event on violence against children that focused on follow-up to the study by Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the Independent Expert on violence against children.

Mr. Pinheiro said the study, which was presented at the General Assembly last year, painted a global picture of the nature, extent and causes of violence against children, and proposed clear recommendations for action to prevent and respond to it. The study called for an end to all justification to any form of violence against children. High-level attention by the international community was crucial for increasing awareness on issues such as the impact of war on children and the harm associated with trafficking and sexual exploitation. He stressed the need to ensure political will and adequate resources to support change.

Kyung-wha Kang, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in opening remarks that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN partner agencies were fully committed to ensuring follow-up to the recommendations of the Secretary-General’s study on violence against children, and supporting the report’s Independent Expert, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, in developing a long-term strategy for combining public health, education, child protection and human rights. It was essential that the Council provided leadership so that children would be guaranteed their right to live a life of dignity and respect, free of violence.

In a video message, Moushira Khatab, Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Secretary-General of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood of Egypt, said that with the launch of the study, the real work for implementation had just begun. It was also time to make sure that every country had a legal framework that prohibited and criminalized violence against children, a plan of action, a monitoring body, budgetary allocation and a genuine, effective, transparent partnership between governments and civil societies, including children themselves.

In the interactive dialogue that followed, speakers affirmed that regrettably, multi-facetted forms of violence against children existed in all countries of the world. They agreed that all forms of violence against children were unjustifiable, preventable and should be stopped. Speakers outlined national efforts to prevent and fight violence against children, with some highlighting the plight of children with disabilities who were acutely vulnerable to violence. Other issues raised included the need to abolish female genital circumcision and child marriages. On gathering of data, speakers called for an agreed set of norms and standards for the collection of such data. Speakers also discussed the best ways to implement and follow up the recommendations mentioned in the study.

Speaking in the interactive dialogue were Uruguay, Germany on behalf of the European Union, Norway on behalf of the Nordic countries, Argentina, Egypt, Mexico, Australia, Uzbekistan, New Zealand, India, United Kingdom, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Conference, Malaysia, Ecuador, Morocco, Brazil, Tunisia, Cuba, Japan, China, Canada, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh and Slovenia.

The following non-governmental organizations addressed the Conference: Save the Children Alliance, Human Rights Advocates, International Islamic Federation of Students Organizations, World Population Foundation, Union of Feminine Action, World Organization against Torture and Association for World Education.

The following speakers made concluding remarks: Karin Landgren, Chief for Child Protection at the United Nations Children’s Fund in New York; Robert Buthcart, Coordinator for Prevention of Violence at the World Health Organization; Yoshi Noguchi, Senior Legal Officer at the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour at the International Labour Organization; Roberta Cecchetti, Representative from the NGO Advisory Group on Violence Against Children; and Bacre N’Diaye, Director of the Division of Procedures and Human Rights at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

At the beginning of the meeting, a video presentation on violence against children prepared by Save the Children was shown.

The Council is scheduled to reconvene at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 20 March at which time it will start its consideration of the report of the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. It is also expected to review reports from the Independent Expert on minority issues, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people.

Report of Independent Expert on Violence against Children

The Council has before it the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Independent Expert for the United Nations study on violence against children (A/61/299), based on the in-depth study undertaken by Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Independent Expert appointed by the Secretary-General pursuant to General-Assembly resolution 57/90 of 2002. The report provides a global picture of violence against children and proposes recommendations to prevent and respond to this issue. It provides information on the incidence of various types of violence against children within the family, schools, alternative care institutions and detention facilities, places where children work and communities. The study was prepared through a participatory process which included regional, subregional and national consultations, expert thematic meetings and field visits. Many Governments also provided comprehensive responses to a questionnaire transmitted to them by the Independent Expert in 2004. Among the report's recommendations are that Governments should formulate a national strategy, policy or plan of action on violence against children with realistic and time-bound targets, coordinated by an agency with the capacity to involve multiple sectors in a broad-based implementation strategy.

Opening Statements

KYUNG-WHA KANG, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN partner agencies were fully committed to ensuring follow-up to the recommendations of the Secretary-General’s study on violence against children, and supporting the report’s Independent Expert, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, in developing a long-term strategy for combining public health, education, child protection and human rights. She acknowledged the efforts of non-governmental organizations in the early phase of the follow-up process, and the role of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which initiated the process. Children were also mobilizing to participate in the follow-up.

The Deputy High-Commissioner said follow-up would be a challenging task, especially where attitudes and traditions were used to justify or normalize violence against children. Violence against children was completely unjustifiable and preventable, and structured, focused follow-up was essential. Mr. Pinheiro’s report called for integrated measures to prevent and respond to violence against children in national action plans; strengthening legal frameworks and ensuring conformity with the Convention on the Rights of the Child; prevention and promotion of participation of children in the follow-up processes; and strengthening of data protection. It was essential to work together on all these areas and to focus on those where there was value added. The Council should provide leadership so that children would be guaranteed their right to live a life of dignity and respect, free of violence.

MOUSHIRA KHATTAB, Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Secretary-General of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood of Egypt, in a video message, said that with the launch of the study, the real work for implementation had just begun. The challenge was to invest in the process of partnership and sense of ownership that this study had been developed through. Every region, every state and every government, non-governmental organization or children themselves should see now the final recommendations of the study as their own recommendations. The challenge was to work on the national level, and to support governments and the civil society to implement the agenda that the study had put. It was also time to make sure that every state had a legal framework that prohibited and criminalized violence against children, a plan of action, a monitoring body, budgetary allocation and a genuine, effective, transparent partnership between governments and civil societies, including children themselves.

Speaking on behalf of the Middle East and North Africa Region, Ms. Khattab said this region had demonstrated a will and determination to end violence against children. It was very important to empower regional mechanisms to continue with the implementation and follow up; and at the international level, the Committee on the Rights of the Child would continue its mandate to monitor the implementation by State Parties of their obligation within this study. A Special Representative would follow up on a continuous basis to assist the Committee in its mandate. The Special Representative would ensure that the States Parties were exerting the necessary efforts throughout the reporting periods to ameliorate the welfare of the child. It was very important that this Special Representative was within the United Nations system.

PAULO SERGIO PINHEIRO, Independent Expert for the United Nations study on violence against children, said the study had been presented last year to the General Assembly after almost three years of an intensive participatory process. The study painted a global picture of the nature, extent and causes of violence against children, and proposed clear recommendations for action to prevent and respond to it. It found that, despite repeated commitments to protect children’s rights, in every region of the world it persisted, and was often hidden and unrecorded. The study called for an end to all justification to any form of violence against children. Since the beginning, it was clear that the report should be a tool for action at global, national, and local levels, and for this to happen, the findings and recommendations detailed in the report should be disseminated and debated by the various relevant stakeholders.

The first year of follow-up would be focused on promoting activities of dissemination, galvanising action, most particularly by United Nations entities and Member States, reporting on progress made, and outlining a long-term follow-up strategy to secure continuity to the process. But dissemination alone was not sufficient: the implementation of such a vast number of recommendations required prioritisation and coordination at national, regional, and national levels. Implementation did not necessarily mean starting new programmes or policies, but frequently required strengthening or expanding the coverage of measures already in place.

His experience in leading the study process had, Mr. Pinheiro said, convinced him that Member States were ready to join forces and fully implement the study recommendations, transforming into action the commitments expressed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. But the impact of the actions would not be felt without comprehensive support and political will. All concerned should therefore consolidate their commitments, to truly invest in national initiatives to prevent and respond to violence, and to demonstrate international solidarity. High-level attention at the international community was crucial for increasing awareness on issues such as the impact of war on children and the harm associated with trafficking and sexual exploitations. The protection of children from all forms of violence would require an even stronger commitment as many forms of violence, such as violence in homes and schools, youth violence and violence in state institutions had been only scarcely mentioned to date.

Interactive Debate on Violence against Women

PAULINE DAVIES (Uruguay) said Uruguay was very pleased to see the special event being held and thanked Professor Pinheiro and all special guests for their participation. The Human Rights Council must participate in the first year of implementation of this study as approved at the last session of the General Assembly. There were various mechanisms to render the process effective. On a national level, with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund and Save the Children, a study produced by Uruguay had generated rich debate on public policy and social development. Violence against children was a gap in the Special Procedures of the Council and deserved special attention.

ANKE KONRAD (Germany), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the European Union attached utmost importance to the promotion and protection of the rights of children and appealed to all countries to support ongoing international efforts to this end. Regrettably, multi-facetted forms of violence against children existed in all countries of the world. Full awareness raising was much needed; the issue deserved undivided international attention. The European Union welcomed all steps to improve the situation of children affected by violence and supported relevant international actors, most notably the United Nations and its special mechanisms, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Council of Europe and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, among others. The European Union believed that the Human Rights Council could play a supportive role in addressing violations of the rights of children. The European Union was very grateful to Professor Pinheiro for his dedicated work and supported the thrust of the study. Its concrete recommendations could provide a road map for coordinated follow up action at the national and international levels.

ASTRID HELLE AJAMAY (Norway), speaking on behalf of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway), said the Nordic countries firmly supported the recommendations in the study. All forms of violence against children were unjustifiable, preventable, and should be stopped. Initiatives should encompass human rights, child protection, and child health, in order to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, and should involve all forms of agencies at all levels. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights could add long-term value in the area of legal reform. The heads of the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization should provide support, and the Committee on the Rights of the Child should be actively involved in follow-up to recommendations. The advice of Mr. Pinheiro on how to best integrate the recommendations in the programmes of the different United Nations agencies was requested.

SERGIO CERDA (Argentina) said that one of the regional consultations leading to the study was carried out in Argentina, and this had been a good opportunity to examine the issue. Argentina supported mechanisms of the Human Rights Council that helped resolve the issue of follow-up in an appropriate time. This was a key tool for stakeholders working in children-related areas. Argentina hoped the report would endorse the new public policy on children in Argentina, notably regarding the juvenile justice system.

MAHY ABDEL LATIF (Egypt) said that Egypt wished to thank Professor Pinheiro for his tireless efforts that had culminated in the study. The implementation of the recommendations in the study would lead states to provide a lot of measures to enhance the situation of children and promote the protection of their rights. Egypt actively supported the work of the study. Egypt also remained committed to all efforts to follow up and implement all the recommendations stated in the study at national and international levels.

ELIA SOSA (Mexico) said Mexico supported the work of the Independent Expert on violence against children. There was no type of violence against children that could not be prevented if daily practices in the family and in society were changed, and children were recognised as subjects of human rights. Mexico had worked on violence against children both nationally and regionally, and endorsed the objective set out by the study that by 2009 there be national systems to compile statistics, and to establish national policies and focal points. The timeline of activities for the next few years at the regional, national and international levels gave a better plan for following-up the recommendations of the study, and this was appreciated. The recommendations of the study should be applied in an effective manner. Children should be properly protected against violence by the mechanisms of the Council.

LARA NASSAU (Australia) said Australia shared concern about the effects of violence on children, especially in situations of armed conflict. Australia supported numerous programmes, notably in Sri Lanka, where it had sent human rights law experts to assist a National Commission of Inquiry to investigate serious human rights abuses there.

KANYAZOV ESEMURAT (Uzbekistan) said that the protection of the rights of children was a priority for the State policy of Uzbekistan. There were monitoring measures among others. Uzbekistan was cooperating with the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization for guarantees for children with the participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It also set up a children’s ombudsman. A national plan of action was developed where NGOs were active partners. Uzbekistan involved school children and NGOs to provide them with material on the rights of the child. A policy of the development of school education had been established. An annual set of measures for preventive health had been set up. Protection of the rights of the child included cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund.

NICOLA HILL (New Zealand) said New Zealand welcomed the report and the opportunity to reflect upon it. It was hoped that children would have an increased voice in the Council. The report contained many useful recommendations, but it was more than that - it had created a momentum in the United Nations and among Member States, and work should be done to keep this up. It was important to have a viable follow-up for the study. New Zealand wished for clarification on children with disabilities: in the comments, Mr. Pinheiro had said that most violence against children was not reported. Recent research suggested that children with disabilities were acutely vulnerable to sexual abuse. Violence against these children was an important issue, and Mr. Pinheiro’s comments and suggestions on ensuring that no children were left behind in this regard would be appreciated.

RAJIV CHANDER (India) said India was home to the largest child population in the world, one third of population. The right to protection was at the core of development and the basis for other rights. A newly created Ministry for Women and Child Development in India was looking at how to create a strong protective environment, provide essential services and set standards. A new commission had been established also for proper enforcement and effective implementation. An integrated child protection scheme dealing with adoption, fostering and children in need of care was also under way, as was a major study on child abuse that was developed with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund and Save the Children.

NICHOLAS THORNE (United Kingdom) said the United Kingdom associated itself with the comments made by the European Union. The United Kingdom was actively involved in the promotion of the rights of children. All children’s lives should be spared from abuse. The lack of data aggregated by sex and age was a problem around the world and the United Kingdom wondered what the panel would recommend to address this problem. There was also a lack of data concerning violence against children with disabilities. In regard to violence against girls, which recommendations did the United Nations Children’s Fund wanted to prioritise in the coming future.

MARGHOOB SALEEM BUTE (Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, said violence against children was an issue that deserved the immediate attention of the international community because of the increase of violence against civilians, both in armed conflicts and other areas, and of which children bore the brunt. No violence against children was justifiable, and all violence was preventable. Any vision of building safer communities for children around the world should focus on conflict-resolution, particularly the immediate resolution of situations of armed occupation, which had wreaked havoc on millions of children; an enhancement of efforts for the promotion of an agenda for development and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals; and to place particular focus on education in order to achieve targets. The international community was ready to move faster on making a world safer for children. The rights of the child should be given the first priority to ensure the respectable and dignified life that every child deserved.

MARGARET HO POH YEOK (Malaysia) said the study had proposed a commendable set of recommendations to prevent and eliminate violence against children. The challenge was the effective implementation of laws, and in Malaysia the Child Act 2001 was based on the four core principles: non-discrimination; supporting the best interests of children; the right to life; and respect for the views of the child. Malaysia was amending the Child Act to ensure protection of children against ill treatment, abuse and neglect; it also aimed to abolish whipping. Malaysia would continue to provide education and in-service training to people working with children coming into contact with the justice system. Malaysia sought qualification on the rights and special needs of children with disabilities.

LUIS VAYAS VALDIVIESO (Ecuador) said that the delegation of Ecuador wanted to express its pleasure that this special event on violence against children was being held during the fourth session of the Human Rights Council. Ecuador believed that the study with the recommendations was coherent and should be implemented and promoted. Ecuador asked Professor Pinheiro to elaborate more on how the Human Rights Council could promote the work on violence against children.

MOHAMMED LOULICHKI (Morocco) said the study was exhaustive, as were the recommendations. The Human Rights Council had an important role to play; combating violence against children was an obligation for all, a responsibility that the international community should assume in all places and at all times, collectively and singly, to eliminate all manifestations of the phenomenon. All should adopt an integrated approach with legislative and development measures, including in the school system’s human rights education in order to change mentalities; countries should also ratify international instruments to protect children and involve the media and civil society and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. The role of the family as the framework for values also needed to be strengthened. National legislation should be strengthened.

SERGIO ABREU E LIMA FLORENCIO (Brazil) said the issue was indeed central to human rights debate and the study was a landmark that must be a reference for the Council’s work. Within MERCOSUR, there was a regular mechanism and it was hoped this mechanism would be used to foster a follow-up to the study on violence against children. Violence against children was a key focus of social policy in Brazil. The delegation of Brazil asked for definition of the basic guidelines for the follow-up strategy, and whether the United Nations Children’s Fund had or intended to have an internal action plan related to the study’s recommendations.

SAMIR LABIDI (Tunisia) said that the delegation of Tunisia wanted to thank the Human Rights Council for having organized a discussion on violence against child. The issue was a very important topic for all, given the vulnerability of children. Tunisia was a member of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Every person must speak up whenever children were in danger. The protection of children against violence involved the family as well.

YURI ARIEL GALA LÓPEZ (Cuba) said the report addressed the areas of family community, civil society, and exploitation of child labour. However, it did not address central aspects of the concept of violence, such as children in armed conflicts and under unilateral coercive measures. A study should examine the neglect given to children in the unjust international order and through the policies of international organizations such as the World Trade Organization and the Bretton Woods organizations. Poverty, hunger, illiteracy and marginalisation should not be forgotten. The unilateral illegal boycott by the United States of Cuba was a serious form of violence against children in Cuba. The Expert should systematise and integrate all aspects related to the concept of violence against children, and clearly define his mandate, adjusting it to a content which avoided duplication of the work of other instances on the rights of the child.

HIROSHI MINAMI (Japan) said in Japan child abuse and sexual exploitation were matters of concern, and the Government of Japan had been strengthening the legal framework to combat violence against children. In natural disasters and armed conflict, children were the most vulnerable. International coordination among United Nations organs was important. Japan had been working with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and had provided financial assistance to a UNICEF project in Liberia. The Japanese Government concurred that all violence against children was unjustifiable and preventable. The Japanese Government was willing to work with all stakeholders on the matter.

ZHAO XING (China) said that China thanked Professor Pinheiro for his study on violence against children. Violence against children was a scandal for our society because of its negative effects on the development of children. Combating violence against children was always a concern for the Chinese Government. Following on what had been said by the Deputy High Commissioner concerning trafficking, child victims were often obliged to work in the sex industry, both in developing and developed countries. China wanted to raise the question concerning the measures that should be taken against trafficking in children. In addition, China noted the problem that in regard to corporal punishment, parents often thought it was a way of educating children. China wondered how the international community could resolve that problem.

JULIE DELAHANTY (Canada) said it was important to maintain innovative approaches to development issues such as this one of violence against children. The study on violence against children was an important document that should have a permanent impact on the United Nations organizations and agencies, as well as the Member States. Canada wished to hear how the full participation of children was being ensured in follow-up. Canada had undertaken a number of initiatives, including a national focal point on violence, promoting public awareness of risk factors linked to family violence, and supporting data collection, research and evaluative efforts in order to determine the causes of violence and eliminate this from Canadian territory, including through laws, prevention activities, and programmes for victims and perpetrators.

ELCHIN AMIRBAYOV (Azerbaijan) said that in spite of recent progress, the situation of violence against children still caused concern and protection standards and concrete initiatives were necessary. No violence against children was justifiable. But consequences of that violence differed from one another. Strategies must be comprehensive, looking also at root causes. Civil society could play an important role in filling gaps and in data collection. Poverty created wide disparities to the detriment of children. Poverty reduction strategies were needed. Aggression and foreign occupation also needed to be taken intro account. Azerbaijan asked how the challenges of children in armed conflict could be better addressed.

MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh) said that Bangladesh appreciated very much the work of Professor Pinheiro. In his report, Bangladesh noted that violence against children took place everywhere in the world. Cooperation was necessary because of the global scale that this problem posed. No violence against children could be justified. Prevention must be a priority and causes must be determined such as poverty, marginalization and under-development. A high level of violence occurring in families and schools was mentioned in the report. The development of societies depended on the development of children.

EVA TOMIC (Slovenia) said based on the last year of disseminating and promoting the study, what were Mr. Pinheiro’s recommendations for the effective follow-up of the recommendations of the study? Slovenia was strongly in favour of a strong implementation mechanism, but wished to hear Mr. Pinheiro’s views on what form and shape such a mechanism should take.

LENA KARLSON, of International Save the Children Alliance, speaking in a joint statement with International Federation of Social Workers, said Save the Children and other non-governmental organizations welcomed the focus of the study on the meaningful and ethical participation of girls and boys. In the United Nations study, non-governmental organizations and the United Nations Children’s Fund had stressed the importance of learning from children, and development and support for children together with adults had been supported. Governments and the United Nations must create genuine spaces to involve children, including enabling children to engage more actively in decision making, and making available material about violence for children to access. Children had said they wanted to be involved in decisions that affected their lives; therefore it was important to act on children’s recommendations. What was being done to support the translation of child-friendly material into local languages and ensuring dissemination and use, and how would children’s participation be supported and followed up, and by whom?

NICOLE SICIBOLA, of Human Rights Advocates, said in a joint statement that juvenile execution was prohibited for juveniles under eighteen in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. State reporting and monitoring was thus very important because this Convention was still not respected everywhere in the world. Juveniles were executed in Iran for example. United Nations reporting mechanisms were absolutely crucial. Human Rights Advocates asked how the Council could address those specific problems.

SYED FAIZ NAQSHBANDI, of International Islamic Federation of Students Organization, said Jammu and Kashmir had been under foreign occupation for more than 40 years, and the children of that country had been held at gunpoint by Indian soldiers, who had committed barbaric acts, although the international community’s conscience remained undisturbed. Violence against children was more pronounced in areas under armed conflict or foreign occupation. While the valuable study was appreciated in highlighting violence across the globe, it failed to study the plight of children under occupation or in situations of armed conflict.

ROY W. BROWN, of World Population Foundation, said that one aspect of the report deserved greater attention – child marriage – which had been described as institutionalised violence against children. It was a form of non-consensual sex and an abuse of human rights. The Foundation had made a number of recommendations on this and asked what recommendations Professor Pinheiro would make to the Council on this issue.

FATIMA OUZLEB, of International Feminine Action, said that the report stressed that prevention was one way to prevent violence against children. Children were the most vulnerable against violence. International Feminine Action urged the United Nations to help children in refugee camps such as in Darfur. Special Rapporteurs were also urged to make visits to those camps.

CECILE TROCHU, of World Organization against Torture, said it was important to disseminate the study and follow up it recommendations, and it was regrettable that the General Assembly had not assembled firmer recommendations in this regard on the role of states. The responsibility of other actors and of civil society was important as well. A firm commitment at a high level within the United Nations was necessary to ensure follow-up to the study and its implementation, and should include the issue of violence against children in armed conflict.

DAVID LITTMAN, of Association for World Education, said over 3 million females and girls were being brutally mutilated each year as a result of female genital circumcision. Energetic steps were needed. In Sudan and Egypt, over 90 percent of females were affected, and 28 other Muslim countries were also affected. A fatwa was now in the pipeline by the Mufti in Egypt and the Association asked whether a fatwa would make a difference. In child marriage, the Association asked what was considered under age, saying that in Iran a bill to abolish marriage of nine-year-olds had been thrown out on the grounds of religious doctrine.

Concluding Comments

KARIN LANDGREN, Chief for Child Protection at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in New York, said that child protection was a leading priority of UNICEF. It was important to improve data and analysis. Progress was slow, but the study on violence against children had given a momentum for efforts to continue. Governments needed to ensure collection of data in order to improve the situation in their countries. UNICEF was promoting the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Social protection systems were being strengthened for the protection of children. Children with disabilities were at high risk of institutionalisation where they ran a high risk of violence.

Among other things, UNICEF would launch a strategy for the abolishment of female genital circumcision, Ms. Landgren said. The abolishment of child marriage was also a priority. In both cases, a change in social belief was an important prerequisite. Violence against girls was a priority of UNICEF. The Cape Town principles were updated in February 2006 in France. An action plan would be prepared between UNICEF and governments. A ten-year strategy was being planned. A focus was put on the strengthening of social change at community level with strong emphasis on the participation of children.

ROBERT BUTHCART, Coordinator for the Prevention of Violence at the World Health Organization (WHO), said WHO had a strong commitment to its ongoing programme for the prevention of violence in general and against children in particular. Collecting data about violence against children was indeed difficult, but in principle was no more so that collecting data about diseases and other taboo conditions on which many countries were already collecting data. However, there was a need for the political will and international support for an agreed set of norms and standards for the collection of such data. WHO was therefore convening a three-phase programme to combine the establishment of the norms and standards, and ensure capacity training and support for country-level surveys and systems to monitor violence against children on an ongoing basis, in order to help steer preventive efforts in the right direction.

YOSHI NOGUCHI, Senior Legal Officer of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour at the International Labour Organization (ILO), said ILO was calling for zero tolerance towards violence against everybody in the work place, especially children. There were at least 218 million children working around the world, who were vulnerable to violence in the work place, and many of the issues applied also to legally working adolescents, of whom there were at least 100 million among those 218 million. The worst forms of child labour were tantamount to violence against children, this included sexual exploitation of children or child trafficking. ILO had suggested an ambitious plan to eliminate this kind of worse kinds of child labour by 2016 in a report last year. ILO was aware of difficulties in gathering date and it had experience in gathering child labour statistics and hoped this would remain a major source of input to the follow-up. The goal was to change perceptions and tackle root causes. It was now a priority to tackle things that had once been seen as part of everyday life in some regions.

ROBERTA CECCHETTI, NGO Advisory Group on Violence against Children, said with regards to the commitment of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to follow-up the study, there were different activities by individual NGOs, including advocacy at regional and international levels, in particular on legal reform, capacity-building of professionals working with children, and monitoring, research, dissemination and awareness-raising. Work would be carried out with the existing Special Procedures. An NGO Advisory Council would be established so as to ensure continuing involvement of NGOs in the follow-up, and to advocate for a Special Representative to the Secretary-General on violence against children.

It was felt that a high-level mechanism to ensure high-level visibility to the situation and follow-up was essential, as this related to the mandates of multiple United Nations bodies and agencies, and it would ensure strong leadership and ensure effective cooperation in the UN system and across regions. Without this, the substantial momentum that had been set up would be lost. There were protection gaps for children that the text did not address, and these protection gaps should be closed, as suggested in the study. The establishment of a Special Representative required political will as well as resources. The empowerment of children should not rest on the shoulders of NGOs only - child participation should become an institutionalised process in all areas affecting children.

BACRE N’DIAYE, Director of Division of Procedures and Human Rights at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said with regards to the importance of this session today, it should not be disregarded that this was the first thematic debate of the Human Rights Council, and all present should be congratulated for the sense of consensus that appeared to be flowing. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights would continue to give strong support to Professor Pinheiro and to implement its recommendations and ensure follow up. The Division, in partnership with the inter-agency partners, would disseminate and mainstream the recommendations of the study, both at Headquarters and in the field, as well as with the treaty bodies and the Special Procedures, in particular those dealing with trafficking. The Committee on the Rights of the Child was the first to suggest this study, and the first to initiate dialogue.

PAULO SERGIO PINHEIRO, Independent Expert for the United Nations Study on Violence against Children, said a consensus was emerging on the need to implement the recommendations of the study. Regarding expectations on the role of the Council, he said it would be desirable if the Council adopted some of the recommendations that had been indicated as a priority, and also that members work with partner agencies to provide information on implementation. At the country level, it was very important to work with United Nations country teams. He commented on the need to ensure political will and adequate resources to support change. During the past three years he had seen many initiatives and now saw the matter as going beyond the question of how they could participate and moving towards pilot projects to this end. He referred to the egregious situations that children were finding in situations of occupation, for example, as an area that was covered in the report. He agreed with Cuba on the issue of economic and social rights but mentioned the difficulty of implementing these rights as the important factor regarding violence against children.


For use of the information media; not an official record

HRC07014E