OPENING SPEECH Ayman Abulaban, UNICEF Representative

As UNICEF we have focused much on ‘system strengthening’, but we also need to work on
‘social change’, in order to reach full results for children. In this respect, we believe that the
Ministry’s radical steps in the legal field and in the public debate on violence in the family are
extremely valuable and we are committed to work together on complementary initiatives to
protect children from violence in all settings. We also welcome the priority given by the Child
Services Directorate General to the issue of prevention.
In Turkey, the different State sectors which play a key role in combating violence against
children are growing stronger and more committed to the issue everyday: social, education,
justice, health, labour, security sectors are all mobilized. However, in our field work, we still
witness and experience challenges in inter-sectorial coordination – which means that some
children fall through the cracks of the protection safety net.
Based on international experience, civil society organizations have a huge potential to
contribute to the protection of children from violence either as advocates or services providers.
They are often closer to the field, closer to the children and most flexible in their operating
modes – which we see as a complementary force to the systems in place.
We hope to learn from other countries how National Integrated Strategies on Violence Against
Children have helped to bring these important pieces together so as to maximize our
commitment to children.
We hope to vitalize the dialogue between the different key players within Turkey and between
Council of Europe member States, between State and non-State actors, between policy makers,
experts and practioners.
We hope to firm up joint commitments to invest in strong protection systems, responsible
societies and empowered children and youth to combat violence against children.
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