violence against children WORLD REPORT ON - CRIN

“Vision without action is a dream, but action without a vision is a nightmare.”Young Person, Europe and Central Asia, 2006 VI1should include measures to address violenceagainst children within poverty reductionstrategies, coordinated country assessmentsand development assistance frameworks.Governments should consider establishing anombudsperson or commissioner for children’srights – complying with the Paris Principles. 31Working closely with other agencies concernedwith public health and child protection issues,these independent institutions should havea clear mandate to monitor children’s rightsat national, regional and local levels. Whereappropriate, they should have the competenceto receive and investigate complaints on violationsof children’s rights from the public,including from children.In light of the contribution of regional organisationsto the development of the Study, regionalentities should be involved in the implementationand follow-up of its recommendations.The further development of regional mechanismsshould be encouraged as an importantpart of the overall framework for follow-up.Regional human rights protection systems arealso encouraged to monitor implementation ofthe Study’s recommendations.International levelIn view of the importance of multi-sectoralcoordination to address violence against children,the Study Report has proposed thatGovernments establish a Special Representativeof the Secretary-General on Violenceagainst Children. The Special Representativeshould act as a high-profile global advocate topromote prevention and elimination of all violenceagainst children, to encourage internationaland regional cooperation, and to ensurefollow-up and monitoring of the Study’s recommendations.The Special Representative should disseminateand promote the Study recommendations indifferent international, regional and nationalforums, and provide a periodic report to theHuman Rights Council and the GeneralAssembly. In addition, a report on implementationof the Study recommendations is proposedfor the sixty-fifth session of the GeneralAssembly in 2010.The Special Representative should work closelywith, but not duplicate the work of, the Committeeon the Rights of the Child, the SpecialRepresentative of the Secretary-General forchildren in armed conflict, the Special Rapporteuron the sale of children, child prostitutionand child pornography, and the SpecialRapporteurs on violence against women andon trafficking in persons. He or she shouldcollaborate with regional human rights protectionsystems and all other regional andnational follow-up initiatives.It is recommended that the Special Representativeshould have an initial mandate of fouryears. Building on the successful interagencycollaboration that marked the Study, he or sheshould be supported by OHCHR, UNICEFand WHO. The United Nations Inter-agencyGroup on Violence against Children, with representationfrom NGOs and children, shouldalso support follow-up.25An end to violence against children