37/48 Annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children
Document Type: Final Report
Date: 2018 Jan
Session: 37th Regular Session (2018 Feb)
Agenda Item: Item3: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development
GE.18-00930(E)
Human Rights Council Thirty-seventh session
26 February – 23 March 2018
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary- General on Violence against Children
Note by the Secretariat
The Secretariat has the honour to transmit to the Human Rights Council the annual
report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children,
Marta Santos Pais.
In her report, the Special Representative provides an overview of major initiatives
and developments at the global, regional and national levels aimed at sustaining and scaling
up efforts to safeguard children’s right to freedom from violence. The report is intended to
support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its
distinct target to end all forms of violence against children. The Special Representative
pays special attention to investment in early childhood to prevent violence against children.
United Nations A/HRC/37/48
General Assembly
Annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary- General on Violence against Children
Contents
Page
I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3
II. Accelerating progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda towards the elimination of all
forms of violence against children ................................................................................................ 5
A. Children as agents of change ................................................................................................ 6
B. Strengthening partnerships to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda .................. 7
C. Promoting follow-up to and review of the 2030 Agenda ...................................................... 8
III. Mainstreaming children’s protection from violence in the national policy agenda ....................... 9
IV. Reinforcing regional processes in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda ................ 12
V. Violence prevention starts in early childhood ............................................................................... 18
VI. Looking ahead ............................................................................................................................... 21
I. Introduction
1. In the present report, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on
Violence against Children reviews the key developments promoted at the global, regional
and national levels, and gives an overview of the results achieved in safeguarding
children’s freedom from violence.
2. Guided by General Assembly resolution 62/141, in which the Assembly established
the mandate, the Special Representative is a global, independent advocate for the
prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against children.
3. At its seventy-second session, the General Assembly reaffirmed its support for the
work of the Special Representative, recognizing the progress achieved and the consolidated
partnerships promoted, and welcoming her efforts in mainstreaming the recommendations
of the United Nations study on violence against children (A/61/299) in the international,
regional and national agenda, including through regional and thematic consultations, field
missions and studies addressing emerging concerns.
4. The United Nations study highlighted the extent and pervasiveness of violence in
and its impact on children’s lives. Thanks to the mobilization created by the study and the
implementation of its recommendations, real progress has been made, and States are better
equipped to prevent and respond to violence against children.
5. In the recent past, new partnerships and alliances have been formed; new
international standards on children’s protection from violence, including trafficking, sexual
abuse and exploitation have been adopted; a large number of States have developed a
national comprehensive policy agenda on violence prevention and response, and have
enacted legislation to prohibit physical, psychological and sexual violence and to support
child victims; information campaigns have raised awareness of the negative impact of
violence on child development and of positive practices that can prevent it; and new global
initiatives are tackling bullying, domestic violence, sexual violence and harmful practices.
More investment in also being made in research on the scale and nature of violence against
children, and on effective strategies to prevent it, and to monitor progress towards its
elimination.
6. Ten years after the publication of the United Nations study, the adoption of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a unique opportunity to renew commitment
and reinvigorate action to end violence against children. The implementation of the
2030Agenda, and its specific target 16.2 on ending all forms of violence against children
and its other violence-related targets, can reduce the risk of violence in children’s lives and
provide effective responses for victims. Failing to reach these targets will compromise
millions of childhoods and threaten potential gains made in many other targets of the
Sustainable Development Goals, especially those relating to education, health, gender
equality, poverty eradication, social inclusion and justice for all.
7. Prevention is indeed critical, given that violence compromises children’s rights and
undermines social progress. Violence goes hand in hand with deprivation and cycles of
vulnerability, the high risk of poor health, poor school performance and long-term welfare
dependency. In early childhood, the impact of violence is often irreversible. As children
grow, their exposure to violence becomes part of a continuum, spreading across their life
cycle and at times persisting through generations. Moreover, violence is associated with
far-reaching costs for society. It diverts billions of dollars from social spending, slowing
economic development and eroding States’ human and social capital. The global costs of
violence against children are estimated to be as high as $7 trillion a year.
8. The widespread exposure of children to violence is well documented in United
Nations reports, academic research and children’s own heart-breaking stories. In a recent
report,1 the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)presented the most current data on
violent discipline and exposure to domestic abuse during early childhood, violence at
school, violent deaths among adolescents, and sexual violence in childhood and
adolescence.
9. The data provided by UNICEF revealed alarming levels of violence affecting very
young children and the ways that millions endure violence throughout childhood, often at
the hands of people they know and trust. The report renews the call made in United Nations
study for national plans and strategies to prevent and respond to all forms of violence
against children. This has been a priority for the Special Representative, and has gained
renewed relevance in advancing progress towards the violence-related targets of the 2030
Agenda.
10. Another report, Ending Violence in Childhood, by the international learning
initiative Know Violence in Childhood, provided a critical review of research and data from
across regions. The information contained in the report can stimulate action to help to
ensure that all children grow up free from violence and enjoy the opportunity to develop to
their full potential.
11. The Special Representative continued to support United Nations policy
developments aimed at the elimination of all forms of violence against children and
accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. These included the IV
Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour, in Buenos Aires, from 14
to 16 November 2017; the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the appraisal of
the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, on 27 and 28
September 2017; and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) International Symposium on School Violence and Bullying: From Evidence to
Action, in Seoul, from 17 to 19 January 2017.
12. According to estimates, there are 152 million boys and girls in child labour,
including 73 million engaged in its worst forms. Four million children continue to be
subjected to forced labour. Moreover, the unprecedented scale of migration and forced
displacement across the globe has increased the number of children at risk of economic
exploitation. Participants in the IV Global Conference highlighted their concern that the
rate of reduction in child labour was slowing, and identified critical actions to accelerate
efforts to end child labour by 2025 and forced labour by 2030, and to generate employment
opportunities for young people around the world.
13. The political declaration adopted at the high-level meeting of the General Assembly
on trafficking reaffirmed States’ commitment to the Global Plan of Action, and addressed
the social, economic, cultural and political factors that make people vulnerable to
trafficking, including the culture of tolerance of violence against children. It recognized
victims as agents of change in the global fight against trafficking in persons, and
encouraged the incorporation of their perspectives and experience in all efforts to prevent
and combat it.
14. The International Symposium on School Violence and Bullying was held to support
implementation of the recommendations made in the report of the Secretary-General on
protecting children from bullying (A/71/213). Organized by UNESCO and the Ewha
Womans University, it brought together United Nations agencies, Governments, members
of civil society, academia and young people. A multi-stakeholder platform for data and
research was launched at the Symposium to address the prevalence of bullying and school
violence, and to gather evidence on effective interventions.
1 UNICEF, A familiar face: violence in the lives of children and adolescents (New York, 2017).
15. The urgent need to protect children from violence has not diminished. Every five
minutes a child dies as a consequence of violence. Every year, at least one billion children –
half of the world’s children – are affected by violence. They are intentionally targeted in
politically driven processes, manipulated by organized crime, forced to flee violence in
their communities, sold and exploited for economic gain, groomed online, disciplined by
violent means, sexually assaulted in the privacy of their homes, neglected in institutions,
abused in detention centres, bullied in schools, and stigmatized and tortured as a result of
superstitious beliefs or harmful practices.
16. In some communities, children are abused as scapegoats for family or community
misfortune and illness. They suffer stigma, violent punishment and ritual killings, if
accused or perceived as witches, or in certain cases when their parents have been accused
of witchcraft. Being branded a witch is a form of psychological violence, and the associated
stigmatization and exclusion may lead to killing, mutilation or other serious forms of
violence that are tantamount to torture.
17. Violence associated with accusations of witchcraft is largely underreported and
concealed because of fear or social pressure. The most vulnerable and socially excluded
children, such as children with albinism, children with disabilities, orphans, prematurely
born children, especially gifted children or those who are simply deemed to be “different”,
are often most at risk.
18. To strengthen children’s protection from violence associated with witchcraft beliefs,
the Special Representative co-organized an international workshop with the Independent
Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, in cooperation with the
Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network and Lancaster University, and the
Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, the Special
Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and the Special Rapporteur
on the rights of persons with disabilities. The workshop was held on 21 and 22 September
2017.
19. Government, United Nations, academic and civil society partners shared the latest
research and experiences, highlighting good practices, identifying gaps in legislation and
policies, and stressing the need for multi-stakeholder action to prevent and address
witchcraft-related violence, to ensure the recovery and safe reintegration of victims, and to
fight impunity.
20. The Special Representative will continue to collaborate with partners for the
abandonment of these practices.
II. Accelerating progress in the implementation of the 2030
Agenda towards the elimination of all forms of violence
against children
21. Realizing every child’s right to freedom from violence is a fundamental dimension
of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The United Nations study identified critical
steps to make this right a reality for all children. The 2030 Agenda envisions a world where
every child can grow up free from violence, abuse and exploitation.
22. The 2030 Agenda seeks to transform the world, leaving no one behind. The best way
to avoid leaving children behind is to put them first in all policy decisions. A society that
fails to do so risks arriving last in the quest for sustainable peace, justice and social
progress. In 2016, the Office of the Special Representative, with many partners, launched
the High Time to End Violence against Children initiative to help make the vision of the
2030 Agenda a reality for all children. The initiative promotes the active engagement of
leaders and citizens from all walks of life in creating and widening circles of non-violence
around children’s lives.
23. In October 2017, as part of the High Time initiative, the Office of the Special
Representative launched Celebrating Childhood: A journey to end violence against
children, a book that shares inspiring testimonies by remarkable child rights defenders of
all ages and backgrounds who stand up for children’s protection from violence. It is a call
to action to transform the continuum of violence surrounding children’s lives into a
continuum of protection of their rights.
24. Celebrating Childhood includes the compelling voices of young people. The 2030
Agenda recognizes children as critical agents of change who channel their infinite
capacities for the creation of a better, more inclusive world.
A. Children as agents of change
25. The inclusion of children’s voices and experiences is critical to realizing the vision
of the 2030 Agenda of a world free from fear and violence, and partnering with children is
a crucial dimension of the Special Representative’s mandate. The United Nations study was
the first United Nations report drafted in collaboration with children and young people.
Their involvement remains crucial to the implementation of its recommendations, including
in advocacy, expert discussions and the development of thematic reports.
26. Violence is a priority concern for children. This was a key message from the more
than 800,000 young participants in consultations that informed the development of the 2030
Agenda, and was reconfirmed by an online opinion poll on migrant and refugee children
conducted by the Special Representative in collaboration with UNICEF. Of the more than
170,000 young people surveyed, a large percentage saw violence as a serious phenomenon
associated with children’s cross-border movements. Indeed, violence was identified as a
key reason for children’s decision to leave their country, one of the most serious challenges
faced during their journey, and an ongoing problem upon arrival in the destination country.
27. Violence, fear and insecurity were also among the deepest concerns expressed by
children affected by detention situations. As a contribution to the development of the global
study on children deprived of liberty,2 the Special Representative, together with partners in
Latin America, undertook consultations and organized focus groups with children whose
parents are in detention.
28. Children whose parents are in detention may be required to travel for long hours or
days to spend just a few minutes with an incarcerated parent. They often have to meet in
overcrowded and unfriendly places, under the scrutiny of security guards, enduring body
searches and condescending looks. Children express their concern at personnel in detention
centres who lack the skills to deal with young people or to treat them with respect.
29. The life of these children is characterized by marginalization, ostracism and a sense
of hopelessness. They tend to come from families in situations of vulnerability and
exclusion, are exposed to domestic violence, and have limited access to social services.
They feel rejected, avoided and feared by other children and their families. They often face
bullying in schools because a parent is in prison, and sometimes feel treated as if they were
the delinquent.
30. Economic hardship caused by incarceration puts an additional burden on the
household. Children may feel pressed to take on additional responsibilities to support the
2 See General Assembly resolution 69/157, para. 52 (d).
family, at times trying to earn an income in dangerous places and activities, where they are
at risk of additional harm.
31. The lack of a nurturing environment, the need to work, the absence of social
protection and the weak capacity of the education system to accommodate and support
children with a parent deprived of liberty may all lead to learning difficulties, absenteeism
and eventual drop-out from school.
32. Children nonetheless do not lose hope and, especially those who are younger, are
resilient and remain positive about their future. They also convey important
recommendations for action. They appreciate being able to visit and maintain a bond with
their detained parents, even if entering a prison is often a traumatic experience. They want
better quality and longer visit times with more humane and dignified treatment. They call
for safe spaces for dialogue with their parents in detention, and for safe and supportive
environments where they can talk about this secret aspect of their life.
33. The children in the focus groups stressed the need for measures to prevent and
address violence whenever it is committed, including an urgent change to arrest and search
procedures. The arrest of a family member can be a brutal experience; it is no surprise that
children believe that the police should in no case be allowed to enter a house and beat
parents in front of a child.
34. Moreover, children call for psychosocial and financial support for children and their
families, and for a welcoming and protective education system for the children affected.
B. Strengthening partnerships to support the implementation of the 2030
Agenda
35. To accelerate progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the Special
Representative promotes engagement with United Nations partners, national Governments,
regional organizations, civil society, faith-based organizations, the private sector, the media
and child-led networks. Strategic partnerships include the Global Partnership to End
Violence against Children, Alliance 8.7 (Global Alliance to Eradicate Forced Labour,
Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Child Labour), the Global Youth Partnership for
the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Alliance for Reporting Progress on
Promoting Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies.
36. Partnering with faith-based organizations is a priority for the Special Representative.
Religious leaders are important allies in the promotion of the recommendations made in the
United Nations study, helping to foster dialogue and to promote change in practices that
perpetuate violence against children, and encouraging the use of non-violent forms of
discipline within places of worship and religious communities at large. As Pope Francis
highlighted on Universal Children’s Day and during the audience he gave to the Special
Representative in March 2017, the international community should be vigilant in protecting
children from violence and ensuring that every girl and boy grows up in serenity and with
confidence in their future.
37. The fifth Forum of the Global Network of Religions for Children, held in May 2017,
in Panama City, placed these concerns at the heart of its agenda. The Forum brought
together more than 500 leaders of the world’s faith and spiritual traditions to increase
understanding of the scale of violence against children and its impact on them, to identify
ways religious leaders could help to tackle it, and to enhance the commitment of faith
communities to prevent and reduce violence against children.
38. The Forum adopted the Panama Declaration on Ending Violence against Children,
which reaffirms the moral imperative to protect children from harm and recognizes that no
religious teaching or tradition justifies any form of violence against children.
39. In the Panama Declaration, participants expressed their resolve to support the 2030
Agenda and a clear commitment to raise awareness and promote action within faith
communities to achieve the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals on ending
violence against children. They also pledged to generate social and political will for
legislation, policies and increased funding for children’s protection programmes; and
committed to listening to children with respect, educating religious and spiritual leaders and
communities on the different forms of violence against children, and offering training in
positive parenting and ethical values to help families and children to develop empathy and
become more resilient.
C. Promoting follow-up to and review of the 2030 Agenda
40. Comprehensive and nationally owned sustainable development plans are being
adopted by many Member States in view of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It is
essential these plans be supported by predictable resources and informed by solid evidence
and robust, reliable and disaggregated data to assess progress towards the violence-related
targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.
41. Investment in children is crucial to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, but
there is still a long way to go. While half of those living in extreme poverty are children
and half of the world’s children are affected by violence every year, budget allocations for
children’s well-being are often inadequate. Furthermore, official development assistance
(ODA) mobilized to end violence against children remains insufficient. As noted in a
recent report,3 the average ODA per child per year to address violence in low-income
countries is less than $0.65, representing less than 0.6 per cent of total ODA.
42. The high-level political forum on sustainable development provides a strategic
platform to ensure that children are placed at the heart of the 2030 Agenda. Through her
participation in high-level intergovernmental meetings and cooperation with regional
organizations and permanent missions, the Special Representative has drawn attention to
the opportunity provided by the voluntary national reviews and the forum for States to
share positive developments and lessons learned, and to identify persisting challenges and
efforts to monitor children’s exposure to violence.
43. The theme of the 2017 meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable
development was “Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world”, a
topic of special relevance to ending violence against children. Violence perpetuates
poverty, but poverty can also trigger violence and create conditions for abuse and
exploitation to flourish. In marginalized communities where family incomes are low and
livelihood opportunities are few, where housing is inadequate and there is limited access to
quality social services, children are more likely to experience violence. They are also less
likely to receive support to recover from trauma, to enjoy a future with skills, confidence
and resilience, or to feel empowered to seek justice and end impunity.
3 ChildFund Alliance, Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages International, World Vision, Office
of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children and UNICEF,
Counting pennies: A review of official development assistance to end violence against children, May
2017.
44. Poverty and violence are intertwined. In 2017, several voluntary reviews yielded
powerful examples of how strengthened social protection can mitigate the increased risks of
violence for children living in poverty. To highlight significant national experiences and the
need for coherent cross-sectoral action for prevention and response, the Special
Representative co-hosted a side event to the meeting of the high-level political forum with
UNICEF and the Governments of Chile, Indonesia and Sweden.
45. The 2017 ministerial declaration of the high-level political forum on sustainable
development gave greater visibility to children, including their right to freedom from
violence. It stressed the need to invest in children to address multidimensional deprivations
and to empower them to help build a more prosperous future. In the declaration, signatories
committed to supporting children’s participation in the implementation and review of the
2030 Agenda and to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against them.
46. The theme for the 2018 meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable
development will be “Building resilient societies and cities”. Special attention will be paid
to Sustainable Development Goal 11 calling for cities and human settlements to be
inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
47. Half of the world’s population lives in cities, and half of that population are
children. Increasing urbanization, combined with high levels of economic inequality and
endemic poverty, make the risk of urban violence particularly acute. As the Special
Representative highlighted in a recent thematic study,4 building schools and urban spaces
that are safe for children, supporting families and engaging with local authorities, investing
in public safety measures and ensuring access to justice can help to mitigate the risks of
violence faced by children in cities.
48. The high-level political forum in 2018 will provide an opportunity to reflect on
national implementation of the New Urban Agenda5 and support the leadership of mayors
and local authorities promoting visionary city plans guided by the best interests of the child
and the active participation of children.
49. To raise awareness of the New Urban Agenda among young people and to promote
the inclusion of children’s views and experiences of urban life in the planning of safe and
sustainable cities, the Special Representative issued a child-friendly publication6 in which
she calls for the creation of urban spaces where children may enjoy their rights, feel
included, safe and protected from violence, and where their voices are duly considered.
50. In 2019, the General Assembly will host its first review of the 2030 Agenda.7 Under
the theme “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”, the Assembly
will address Sustainable Development Goal 16, including target 16.2, on ending all forms
of violence against children. The thirtieth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of
the Child will also fall in 2019. The occurrence of these two events in the same year
presents a unique opportunity to further mobilize global action in violence prevention and
response through a thematic review by the high-level political forum focusing on children
and progress towards target 16.2 and the other violence-related Goal targets.
4 Protecting children affected by armed violence in the community (New York, 2016)..
5 See General Assembly resolution 71/256, annex.
6 The cities of our dreams: A safe and child friendly New Urban Agenda, September 2016.
7 See General Assembly resolution 70/299.
III. Mainstreaming children’s protection from violence in the national policy agenda
51. The Special Representative continued to give support to the consolidation of
national implementation efforts, including through country visits to Barbados, Brazil,
Cambodia, China, Greece, Indonesia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama and Thailand.
52. During her second visit to Cambodia, the Special Representative participated in the
launch of the Action Plan to Prevent and Respond to Violence against Children 2017-2021.8
The Plan was informed by the findings of a household survey on violence against children
conducted in 2014, the first in the region. The survey found that children experienced and
witnessed violence in their public and private lives, at home, at school, in their communities
and online.
53. Adolescents and young people played a significant role in the creation of the Action
Plan through their active participation in discussions and policy dialogues across the
country, and their views and experiences will remain critical in its implementation. Civil
society organizations were also actively involved and continue to play an indispensable role
in supporting the strengthening of the child protection system in Cambodia.
54. Important measures are being taken to prevent violence against children and to
improve services for victims. These measures include a positive parenting strategic plan,
teacher-training modules in the use of non-violent methods of discipline, a handbook for
training health professionals, an action plan to reduce by 30 per cent the number of children
in residential care, and a new juvenile justice law that promotes diversion and the
prevention of the deprivation of liberty of children.
55. Mexico launched its own national plan of action to end violence against children.9
The plan was developed through a wide participatory process and is aligned with the 2030
Agenda. It identifies critical priority actions, including legislative reforms to prohibit all
forms of violence against children and address situations of child marriage. It also
envisages the promotion of a national campaign on violence against children; investment in
online safety; enhanced mechanisms of counselling, complaint and reporting on incidents
of violence; the strengthening of coordination of actions; and support for children’s
participation. The Plan includes an important assessment of children’s exposure to violence,
as well as of children’s views and recommendations.
56. Paraguay adopted a national plan for the protection of children against abuse and all
forms of violence.10 The plan is framed by the 2030 Agenda, the Convention on the Rights
of the Child and the recommendations made in the United Nations study. It is the result of
interdepartmental cooperation and a participatory process. Its implementation is overseen
by the National Commission for the Prevention and Response to Violence against Children.
Children and adolescents were key informants in the development of the plan, and remain
critical actors in its implementation, including by raising awareness of the various
manifestations of violence and mechanisms for reporting violent incidents, promoting
information about the plan among peers and families, and supporting advocacy efforts in
municipalities and communities.
8 Available at www.unicef.org/cambodia/Full_VAC_Action_Plan_En_Final_AP.pdf.
9 See www.unicef.org/mexico/spanish/PLAN_ACCION_FINAL.pdf.
10 See www.snna.gov.py/archivos/documentos/Plan%20de%20Accion%20Pais_r1v7aq8u.pdf.
57. The United Republic of Tanzania launched its own national plan of action to end
violence against women and children (2017-2022).11 Guided by the 2030 Agenda, the plan
builds upon the findings of a household survey on violence against children conducted in
2009, and recognizes the positive impact of investment in the prevention of violence on
inclusive growth. It provides a strategic framework for mobilizing action and resources to
achieve the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular target 16.2.
58. France adopted a new inter-ministerial plan of action to combat violence against
children (2017-2019). 12 The plan aims to support families in their child-rearing
responsibilities; to promote positive parenting practices; to break the invisibility of violence
against children; to promote the early detection and reporting of incidents; and to strengthen
services to assist victims.
59. Support for legislative measures to address violence against children remained a
high priority for the Special Representative. Since 2006, the number of countries with a
comprehensive legal ban has more than tripled, reaching more than 50 in 2017, including
most recently Benin, Ireland, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lithuania, Mongolia,
Paraguay, Peru, Slovenia and Viet Nam.
60. Further legislative measures were adopted to consolidate the normative foundation
of children’s protection from violence. In Sweden, incorporation of the Convention on the
Rights of the Child into national legislation is being pursued to ensure that its provisions
are respected fully in all decisions affecting children.
61. In Malaysia, the Sexual Offences against Children Bill, adopted in 2017,
strengthened the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation. The Bill
criminalizes the grooming of children, promotes their protection from online abuse and
recognizes them as competent witnesses in cases of sexual crimes.
62. In Chile, a new law (No. 21.013) 13 criminalizes the physical or psychological
maltreatment of children or of any person with disabilities. Sanctions include barring
offenders from employment in the education or health sectors, or from other positions that
may involve a direct relationship with the victim.
63. Brazil adopted a new law (No. 13.431) to safeguard the rights of child victims and
witnesses of violence. 14 The law requires all levels of government to develop
comprehensive and coordinated policies to secure children’s right to freedom from violence
in all settings, including the home. It recognizes children’s rights to have access to
information and legal representation; to participate in decisions and to benefit from relevant
support services; and to protection from re-victimization and to reparation. It establishes
accessible, safe, confidential and child-friendly reporting, counselling and complaint
mechanisms for children, and recognizes their right to be listened to by trained
professionals. It also recognizes the duty of any person who witnesses or knows of any act
of physical, psychological or sexual violence committed against a child in a private or
public setting to report it immediately to relevant authorities, who should then bring it to
the attention of the public prosecutor.
64. In South Africa, the High Court declared the common-law defence of “reasonable or
moderate chastisement” unconstitutional. In Jamaica, the Prime Minister announced in
Parliament his strong commitment to achieving a full legal ban on all forms of violence,
including within the home.
11 See http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/2016/NPA-
VAWC%20%20Tanzania.pdf.
12 See www.memoiretraumatique.org/assets/files/v1/Documents-pdf/2017-
1er_Plan_VIOLENCES_ENFANTS_VF.pdf.
13 See www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1103697.
14 See www2.camara.leg.br/legin/fed/lei/2017/lei-13431-4-abril-2017-784569-norma-pl.html.
65. Significant steps were also taken by El Salvador, Honduras, and Trinidad and
Tobago to raise the minimum age for marriage to 18 years. In 2017, important progress was
made in legislation aimed at ending impunity for sexual offences against children, including
the repeal by Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia of legal provisions allowing rapists to avoid
criminal prosecution by marrying their victims.
66. The 2030 Agenda attaches significant importance to the availability of quality,
accessible, timely and reliable disaggregated data to inform decision-making and to assess
progress. Important data developments on violence against children include an agreed
global indicator framework and data collection initiatives promoted by United Nations
agencies.
67. National household surveys in Asia and Africa, including in Cambodia, Kenya,
Malawi, Nigeria, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Philippines and Zimbabwe
have helped to fill data gaps. In Latin America, many States are undertaking surveys to
document the magnitude, nature and impact of violence in childhood. In Honduras, the
survey features an innovative module on migration and violence.
68. The above-mentioned surveys have cast light on the hidden reality of violence in
children’s lives and helped to shape evidence-based national plans of action to address
priority concerns. This has been critical to promote better cross-sectoral coordination at
distinct levels of administration, and to involve a wide range of stakeholders, including
academia, civil society, religious leaders and the private sector, and children themselves.
69. Surveys have also given greater visibility to pressing areas of concern. In the
Philippines, the national survey disaggregated data by gender to assess the different risks of
sexual abuse faced by boys and girls, to help to inform gender-sensitive advocacy,
prevention and responses strategies, and to provide appropriate services to victims.
70. The survey also revealed the serious risk of children’s exposure to online abuse; a
follow-up study confirmed its high incidence. Online abuse is facilitated by increased
Internet connectivity, the availability of cheap devices to access cyberspace, the widespread
knowledge of English, which allows communication by perpetrators abroad, convenient
payment mechanisms through the network of remittance services, and a culture of silence
and of deference to elders who may be colluding in abuse.
71. The value of research was also highlighted in Ecuador, where a study was conducted
on children’s exposure to bullying, building upon the Special Representative’s advocacy on
this topic. Follow-up to the study has led to important initiatives, including the
establishment of nationwide students’ counselling units; capacity-building programmes for
teachers, parents and school personnel; and the development of protocols to report incidents
of violence in schools. A national plan of action on bullying is now under preparation.
IV. Reinforcing regional processes in support of the
implementation of the 2030 Agenda
72. Cooperation with regional organizations and institutions is a key element of the
Special Representative’s strategy to accelerate progress in children’s protection from
violence. Regional organizations and institutions are strategic allies, and their cooperation
with the Special Representative has helped to place violence against children at the centre
of the regional policy agenda, while enhancing the accountability of States and supporting
national implementation efforts.
73. The Special Representative has hosted high-level consultations in the South and
Central American, Caribbean, South Asian, Pacific, European and Arab regions with
regional partners. Six regional monitoring reports have been issued, and periodic review
meetings held to sustain and accelerate progress.
74. As a result, regional political commitments and implementation road maps have
been adopted (see A/HRC/19/64), and a new generation of regional plans on violence
against children is being developed, aligned with the 2030 Agenda. In turn, these efforts
have translated into the strengthening of national legislation and public policies, the
consolidation of data and research, and the promotion of public campaigns.
75. To promote this process further, the Special Representative organizes an annual,
high-level cross-regional round table with regional organizations and institutions. This
forum has become a strategic mechanism within the United Nations system to engage in
policy dialogue, to share knowledge and good practices, to identify trends and pressing
challenges, and to join forces to strengthen children’s protection.
76. In June 2017, the Special Representative co-hosted the seventh annual cross-regional
round table with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The round table
was devoted to placing children at the heart of the 2030 Agenda and to addressing the role
of regional organizations in accelerating progress towards the targets of the Sustainable
Development Goals on children’s protection from violence.
77. Guided by the theme of the high-level political forum on sustainable development,
representatives from regional organizations shared experiences and good practices
addressing the multifaceted nature of deprivation, and violence against children. Notable
initiatives included promoting access to universal, inclusive and child-sensitive basic social
services of quality; cross-sectoral cooperation and integrated services in violence
prevention; investing in early childhood care; ensuring effective family support and social
protection measures; and promoting the social inclusion of those left behind.
78. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to use the opportunity provided by the
high-level political forum and the development of voluntary national reviews to accelerate
progress towards the elimination of all forms of violence against children. They highlighted
the importance of mobilizing adequate national resources and ODA to support violence
prevention and response initiatives, and of strengthening data systems to inform decisions
and monitor and sustain progress.
79. Participants also recognized the critical role of children as agents of change, and the
importance of undertaking action informed by children’s views and experiences. In this
spirit, an ASEAN Children’s Forum was held alongside the meeting, creating an
opportunity for a strategic engagement with young people from the region. These
discussions placed a special emphasis on children’s empowerment and participation to
prevent and address incidents of violence, and on the risks associated with bullying and
online abuse.
80. Young participants also emphasized the importance of enjoying a loving and
supportive environment, and called for awareness-raising and information-sharing
initiatives to enable young people to become empowered citizens, to identify risks, to report
incidents and to seek help from child-sensitive services. They called for urgent government
action, including effective laws, policies and budgets; good parenting and early childhood
development initiatives; training for professionals working with children; and genuine
opportunities and platforms for open discussions with young people. As children
highlighted, “everyone has a role to play, and if we are willing to end violence against
children, we can make the world a better place!”
81. In 2018, the Special Representative will co-host the cross-regional meeting with the
South Asia Initiative to End Violence against Children (see para. 75 above), an
intergovernmental body of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
82. Significant developments continue to be pursued in South Asia to further strengthen
children’s protection from violence, including the implementation of a regional plan of
action for the prevention and elimination of child labour for 2016-2021, the development of
a regional strategy to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation, and the
promotion of online safety. Implementation of the regional action plan on child marriage
(2015-2018) was pursued in 2017 with the launch in Afghanistan of a national plan of
action to eliminate early and child marriage, while in India, Rajasthan became the first State
to launch a strategic plan of action for the prevention of child marriage.
83. To further strengthen children’s protection from violence across Africa, the Special
Representative continued to pursue engagement with the African Union and subregional
organizations, as well as with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare
of the Child and the African Union Special Rapporteur on Ending Child Marriage.
84. The vision of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and of Africa’s Agenda for
Children 2040, which was adopted by the African Committee, is aligned with the 2030
Agenda. Africa’s Agenda for Children 204015 contains measurable goals and priority areas
that the African Union and its Member States commit to reach by 2040, in accordance with
Sustainable Development Goal target 16.2 on ending all forms of violence against children.
85. The Day of the African Child in 2017 was devoted to the 2030 Agenda and to efforts
made to accelerate protection, empowerment and equal opportunity for all children.
Recognizing violence as one of the major barriers to sustainable development, the
discussions held on the Day placed special emphasis on ensuring progress towards
Sustainable Development Goal target 16.2.
86. Building on commitments to promote an Africa fit for its children, the Special
Representative continued to support the strengthening of child protection initiatives in East
and West Africa.
87. In October 2017, Ministers responsible for the care and protection of children across
the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) gathered in Niamey to adopt
the Strategic Framework for Strengthening National Child Protection Systems to Prevent
and Respond to Violence, Abuse and Exploitation against Children in West Africa. In
December, the Framework was approved by the Heads of State, signalling highest level
commitment to end violence against children.
88. The Framework recognizes the importance of dialogue and review at the regional
and subregional levels to boost cooperation and partnerships. It also allows for the
identification of overall trends, lessons learned, good practices and implementation gaps,
while enhancing the accountability of ECOWAS in monitoring, implementation and
reporting.
89. The Framework aims to reduce children’s vulnerability, to build resilience and to
ensure their protection from violence, abuse and exploitation. On the basis of an analysis of
data in the region, it highlights five priority areas: sexual, physical, and emotional violence;
child marriage; children on the move; child labour; and civil registration, vital statistics and
birth registration.
90. The East African Community met in Kigali to promote progress in combating
violence against children. Building on work adopted by its Council of Ministers, including
policies and standards to facilitate national action, Community members promoted the
development of a regional framework for strengthening national child protection systems
and community mechanisms.
15 See www.acerwc.org/ourevents/africas-agenda-for-children-2040/.
91. This important regional framework supports approaches to strengthen national
systems on violence prevention and response, to address cross-border issues, to enable
intercountry comparability, and to foster the exchange of good practices and lessons
learned.
92. The ECOWAS and East African Community regional frameworks demonstrate the
political will of Member States to uphold children’s right to freedom from violence, while
helping to reinforce implementation efforts towards the Sustainable Development Goals
and the goals of Agenda 2063 and Africa’s Agenda for Children 2040.
93. The Special Representative continued to promote efforts to advance the
implementation of the African Union Campaign to End Child Marriage, and noteworthy
progress has been made. In June 2017, the Peace and Security Council of the African Union
devoted an open session to ending child marriage in Africa. The Council underlined the
need for Member States to criminalize child marriage, with a view to deterring it, while
ensuring the provision of appropriate mechanisms for psychosocial support and
reproductive health services for victims of violence.
94. Child marriage was also given special consideration at a high-level meeting held in
October 2017, in Dakar, on ending child marriage in West and Central Africa held.
Examining the drivers of child marriage and sharing experiences from across the region, the
meeting helped to maintain momentum of the Campaign to End Child Marriage.
95. African countries continued to invest in the strengthening of their national child
protection systems and to conduct comprehensive household surveys to document the
magnitude, nature and impact of violence in childhood.
96. Malawi, Nigeria, Swaziland, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia
completed national household surveys on violence against children, and are in various
stages of implementing comprehensive national policy agendas in response to the findings
made. Botswana, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe completed surveys, and will launch their
results in 2018, while Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique and Namibia are
planning similar processes.
97. Important initiatives helped to further consolidate evidence on child protection from
violence in Africa. One report16 showed that children in care across Africa, already made
vulnerable by the circumstances that led to their separation from their families, continue to
be at high risk of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Informed by a regional expert
consultation held in Nairobi and supported by the Special Representative, the report
addresses the links between alternative care reform efforts and violence prevention
initiatives. It stresses that, although stable and secure families provide strong protection
environments for children, there is an increased risk of neglect, abuse and exploitation
when positive family care is lacking and bonding and protective relationships are weak.
98. The report provides an in-depth analysis of legal and policy developments, data
collection efforts, service delivery and public awareness to ensure that families can be
better supported to provide stable and appropriate care for children. It calls for increased
investment in violence prevention and in support for families to ensure a stable and
nurturing home environment. It also calls for the provision of family- and community-based
alternatives to avoid the placement of children in institutions. For children who may end up
in care, it calls for effective safeguarding measures for their protection and a prohibition of
the placement of young children, especially children under three years of age, in residential
care.
16 Better Care Network, Violence against Children and Care in Africa: A Discussion Paper (New York,
2017).
99. Since the adoption in 2015 of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the
Elimination of Violence against Children, the Special Representative has continued to
promote actively its implementation in collaboration with the ASEAN secretariat, the
ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and
Children, and ASEAN States members.
100. The Regional Plan, which is framed by the 2030 Agenda, provides a powerful
example of how regional cooperation can support national action to protect children from
violence and to advance progress to achieve the violence-related targets of the Sustainable
Development Goals. It proposes concrete actions within a realistic time frame, including
the promotion of non-violent approaches to child discipline; the deinstitutionalization of
children; the protection of children from online abuse; the promotion of child-friendly
justice proceedings; the prevention of deprivation of liberty of children; the promotion of
alternatives to detention; and awareness-raising campaigns to break the invisibility of
violence and to secure the protection of child victims.
101. To sustain progress in implementation of the Regional Plan and to support a mid-
term review, UNICEF developed an important baseline study in collaboration with ASEAN
States Members and representatives of the Commission on the Promotion and Protection of
the Rights of Women and Children in 2017. The study acknowledges the initiatives under
way, provides positive practices and lessons learned, and identifies gaps and opportunities
for accelerating progress in the priority areas of the Plan.
102. The ASEAN Guidelines for a Non-Violent Approach to Nurture, Care and
Development of Children in All Settings are an important initiative highlighted by the
baseline study. The Guidelines promote children’s development and well-being, and the
elimination of violence in all settings, and address violence among children, including the
risk of bullying, and physical, verbal and sexual abuse, including online abuse.
103. The Special Representative continued her cooperation with the Organization of
American States. In September 2017, at its ninety-second session, in Barbados, the Inter-
American Institute adopted a resolution on violence against children, in which it reaffirmed
the commitment of Member States to promote violence prevention and elimination in all
settings, in accordance with the 2030 Agenda. It also stressed the importance of sharing
good practices and experiences, especially on children’s protection from sexual exploitation
and the minimum age of criminal responsibility, and called for greater use of alternatives to
the deprivation of liberty of children.
104. Significant efforts have been made in the region to strengthen national child
protection systems. An inter-American forum, the Foro Interamericano de Sistemas
Nacionales de Protección Integral de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes, was held in April 2017
with the participation of national Governments, the Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights and civil society partners to promote comprehensive protection systems. Participants
in the Forum highlighted the persisting challenges that compromised the rights of
vulnerable groups, including indigenous children, children with disabilities, those affected
by migration and refugee situations, and children in early childhood. Recognizing the
importance of sharing experiences between countries in the region, they called for better
coordination across all levels of administration, supported by sound policies, institutions
and funding; consolidated systems of monitoring and evaluation of public policies; the
active engagement of local authorities and civil society organizations in implementation
efforts; and the institutionalization of permanent platforms for the participation of children
and adolescents.
105. In the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), guidelines for the promotion of
positive discipline and the prevention of violence against children are being developed in
accordance with the 2030 Agenda and its violence-related targets. The guidelines will help
to advance the implementation of regional commitments, including through the enactment
and enforcement of laws banning all forms of violence against children. The guidelines also
commit to the development of a regional plan for 2018-2023 on the promotion of positive
discipline and violence prevention.
106. To advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda, the
Special Representative pursued further cooperation with local authorities in support of their
efforts towards the prevention and elimination of violence against children. In September,
at the meeting of the Committee on Childhood of the Ibero-American Union of Capital
Cities, held in La Paz, local governments adopted a declaration in which they expressed
their commitment to the promotion of child-friendly cities equipped with public services
and spaces devoted to children’s care and protection; the development of laws, policies and
monitoring processes to advance and assess progress in early childhood; and to paying
special attention to children on the move across the Ibero-American region.
107. The Special Representative continued her engagement with the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC) building upon her contribution to the debate on the rights of the
child held by the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission in November
2016.
108. In its outcome document, the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission
paid substantial attention to the measures that need to be taken by OIC States Members to
strengthen children’s protection from violence, in accordance with international legal
obligations. It addressed the gender dimensions of violence against children and the
importance of incorporating a gender perspective into all policies and actions. It also called
upon Member States to promote the elimination of all forms of violence against children as
a priority in their national development plans and national reviews within the framework of
the 2030 Agenda. The Commission reiterated its call in its message for Universal
Children’s Day in November 2017, calling for concerted global action to eliminate all
forms of violence against children and to secure their rights in a comprehensive manner, in
compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
109. The Special Representative pursued further her collaboration with the Council of
Europe to strengthen children’s freedom from violence across the region. These initiatives
are framed by the Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2021), which was developed
by the Council with the participation of the Special Representative. The Strategy supports
national implementation of the 2030 Agenda and is monitored by the Ad Hoc Committee
for the Rights of the Child, in which the Special Representative also participates.
110. Children’s freedom from violence is one of the main pillars of the Strategy. During
the first year of implementation, special attention was paid to children’s online protection
and the rights of migrant and refugee children.
111. In May 2017, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers adopted the Action
Plan on Protecting Refugee and Migrant Children in Europe 2017-2019, with three main
pillars: ensuring access to rights and child-friendly procedures; providing effective
protection; and enhancing the integration of arriving children. The implementation of the
Action Plan will complement other important activities being undertaken by the Ad Hoc
Committee, including the development of new standards on legal guardianship, and age
assessment of migrant and refugee children.
112. The Ad Hoc Committee developed guidelines on the protection of the rights of the
child in the digital environment and the prevention of online abuse to support States in the
development of legislation and policies, and the promotion of national and international
cooperation, and to ensure that business enterprises and other relevant actors meet their
responsibilities. In support of this process, the Council also developed awareness-raising
and educational resources, including a new Internet Literacy Handbook.
113. The Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and
Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention) of the Council of Europe requires States parties to
adopt legislative and other measures to prevent sexual violence, to protect child victims,
and to prosecute offenders. Recognizing that information and communications technology
presents risks of sexual abuse and exploitation of children, the Lanzarote Committee gave
priority attention to this topic. The information gathered by the Committee will allow it to
assess the implementation of the Convention by States parties and to identify good practices
to support capacity-building at the national level.
114. In April, the Council of the European Union adopted a revised version of the
Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child, reaffirming its
commitment to the protection of the rights of the child globally. The Guidelines promote
the mainstreaming of children’s rights in European Union policy and action, and aim to
strengthen efforts to ensure that children in the most marginalized and vulnerable situations
are reached effectively. They promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, including
the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal target 16.2, and reaffirm support for the
Special Representative’s work, alongside that of other international and regional child
rights actors. They also identify priority actions, including the development of national
strategies and enhanced coordination between all levels of government to ensure effective
implementation; the alignment of national legislation with international human rights
standards; and the collection and use of data to inform advocacy, legal and policy reforms
and the mobilization of resources.
115. In November, the Special Representative participated in the eleventh European
Forum on the Rights of the Child, held in Brussels. The Forum brought together more than
300 experts from States members and institutions of the European Union, Iceland, Norway,
Switzerland and Balkan States, and from civil society, international organizations,
children’s ombudspersons and academia. Young people affected by situations of
deprivation of liberty also actively participated.
116. The Forum expressed support for the global study on children deprived of liberty.17
Placing special emphasis on alternatives to detention, it addressed the situation of children
in the criminal justice system, in immigration detention, in care or health institutions, and
children whose parents are in prison. In her address to the Forum, the Special
Representative presented the preliminary findings from the research undertaken by her
office with strategic partners in Latin America on the experience of young people whose
parents are in detention (see para. 27 above).
V. Violence prevention starts in early childhood
117. The 2030 Agenda recognizes the crucial role played by early childhood development
in creating peaceful and prosperous societies. Target 4.2 of the Sustainable Development
Goals specifically commits States to ensuring that all children have access to inclusive and
quality early childhood education and care so that they may acquire the knowledge and
skills to fulfil their potential, pursue opportunities and participate fully in society as
productive citizens.
118. Investing in early childhood and ending violence in children’s lives are first and
foremost a question of children’s rights. But the evidence continues to mount that it is also
a highly cost-effective strategy leading to better health, education and social outcomes that
17 See General Assembly resolution 69/157.
increase national wealth while reducing the social expenditures incurred in dealing with the
long-term consequences of violence in childhood.
119. Early childhood is where violence prevention must begin and where investment can
achieve a very high return.
120. A nurturing and caring environment helps to secure children’s health, nutrition, early
learning and sense of belonging. It promotes their self-esteem and improves their ability to
handle stress and adversity. Scientific evidence shows that the human brain develops wider
and faster during its first 1,000 days than at any other stage of life, and that it is during this
crucial developmental period that the foundation for a person’s future well-being is laid.
121. Early childhood is, however, still seen primarily as a period of transition towards
adult life, and young children are perceived as “not-yet persons” or “people in the making”.
There is insufficient awareness of the negative impact that violence has on children’s health
and development, and of the social returns from investment in a violence-free early
childhood.
122. Children are often exposed to violence early in life, and it is during infancy that it
has its most devastating and long-lasting impact on a child’s development, with
consequences that persist into adulthood.
123. As highlighted by UNICEF, close to 300 million children experience psychological
aggression and/or physical punishment by their caregivers at home. Six in ten children aged
12 to 23 months are subject to violent disciplinary practices, and almost half endure
physical punishment. In certain countries, shouting, yelling or screaming are common
forms of discipline for one-year-olds, and 176 million children under five years of age
witness domestic violence.18
124. In its major 2016 series on early childhood, the Lancet estimated that 250 million
children younger than five years of age in low and middle-income countries risked falling
short of their potential because of the adversities that they faced in their early years.19
Investing in the physical, cognitive, emotional and social capacities of these children is a
key factor in their development.
125. Early childhood interventions may cost as little as $0.50 per child per year when
combined with existing services. Lack of investment in early years may, however, hold
children back before they reach school age, leading them to endure a lifetime of
disadvantage. A poor start in life can lead to a loss of about a quarter of average adult
income per year. In addition, countries may forfeit as much as two times their current
expenditures of GDP on health and education.20
126. The vital importance for child development of a nurturing and caring environment
with good health, sound nutrition and stimulation is well established. Promoting positive
attachments with caregivers helps children to develop resilience in the face of adversity,
while early childhood interventions protect children against stress, laying the foundation for
learning at home and at school.
127. It is also a known fact that children subjected to violence, abuse and neglect in early
childhood are more likely to display a range of pathologies in later life, including poor
school performance and a greater probability of dropping out, anxiety and depression, ill
health, risky behaviour, and self-harm.
18 UNICEF, A Familiar Face: Violence in the lives of children and adolescents (UNICEF, New York,
2017).
19 Advancing Early Childhood Development: from Science to Scale, Lancet, October 2016.
20 Ibid.
128. Longitudinal studies show that children exposed to maltreatment are more likely to
be victims of violence later in life and to become perpetrators themselves. They are also at a
greater risk of engaging in criminal behaviour, while showing a tendency to minimize the
seriousness of criminal acts.
129. Advances in neuroscience are helping to piece together the complex mechanisms by
which various forms of toxic stress in early childhood, including violence, translate into
poor outcomes for children. While an infant’s developing brain establishes the most
efficient architecture for an individual’s needs, it is also extremely sensitive to its
surroundings.21
130. Research on the neuroscience of childhood maltreatment has documented the
consequences of socioeconomic status as a stressor and the health-related consequences of
exposure to verbal abuse. It has also examined the impact of different forms of
maltreatment, such as bullying and cyberbullying, neglect, sexual violence and emotional
abuse on early child development. The impact of growing up in institutions, particularly
before two years of age, on long-term mental and physical health has also been examined.
131. Alterations to the brain following childhood maltreatment can lead to an increased
risk of developing non-communicable diseases and mental health problems, short and long-
term cognitive disabilities, deficits in social and emotional competencies, and an increased
tendency to maladaptive behaviour.
132. Early childhood presents a unique window of opportunity to break the vicious cycle
of violence and abuse through appropriate interventions. An increasing body of evidence
points to three key dimensions of successful national strategies that contribute to this goal:
(a) Legal prohibition of all violence against children, including within the home;
(b) Implementation of policies to support families in their child-rearing
responsibilities and to prevent child abandonment and placement in institutions;
(c) Promotion of integrated and cohesive actions by relevant sectors responsible
for violence prevention and response.
133. Firstly, legislation sends an important message to society about practices that are
acceptable or non-negotiable, helping to shape attitudes and behaviour. The protection of
children in their early years begins with the enactment of a comprehensive legal ban on all
forms of violence in all settings. Today, more than 50 States have adopted such an explicit
legal prohibition on the use of violence as a form of discipline, correction or punishment,
including in schools and the home.
134. Secondly, public policies are not neutral to children. Investment in young children
provides an important entry point to strengthen families’ nurturing and protective role, to
prevent child abandonment and placement in alternative care, and to support children at risk
of violence. Parenting skills programmes that go hand in hand with social protection
interventions help to reduce the risk of social exclusion and deprivation, prevent family
stress and tackle social norms that condone violent forms of child discipline.
135. Thirdly, violence is a multifaceted phenomenon that can be addressed only through a
multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach. Strong, effective cooperation is needed
21 The interplay between the genetic endowment of a child and its environment leads to alterations in the
way genes are expressed (the study of which is known as “epigenetics”), including in the
neurophysiology, cognition and behaviour of the individual; for example, neglect or absence of loving
care for infants can have epigenetic effects that impair the brain's stress regulation system and affect
the child's ability to tolerate and manage stress in the future.
across sectors, including health, nutrition, education and social and child protection, to
address the multiple risks faced by young children and their families.
136. Every child needs support in early childhood, but at-risk children from
disadvantaged environments are least likely to receive it. Disadvantaged families are often
strained to the limit and have fewer resources to invest in effective early childhood
development; as a result, many at-risk children miss out on the growth that is the
foundation for success in school, career and life.
137. The importance of strong political leadership in assuring the best start in life and the
elimination of violence in early years cannot be overstated. James Heckman, Nobel
Laureate in Economics, has pointed out that “investing in early childhood education is a
cost-effective strategy, even during a budget crisis,” leading to better education, health,
social and economic outcomes that increase revenue and reduce the need for costly social
spending. “The highest rate of return in early childhood development comes from investing
as early as possible, from birth through age five, in disadvantaged [children and their]
families.”22
VI. Looking ahead
138. Freedom from violence and the right to live a dignified and happy life are promises
the international community has pledged to safeguard for all children. It is high time to
deliver on these promises. Guided by the human rights imperative of freeing children from
violence, the evidence gathered in recent years of what works, children’s inspiring
participation, efforts and resilience, and the ambitious vision and historic opportunity
offered by the 2030 Agenda, a quantum leap in violence against children prevention and
response is possible. Together, we can build the world that children dream of and wish for:
a world of non-violence and peace, where each and every child is cherished, respected and
protected. A world in which no child is left behind.
139. For countless millions of children, however, this dream remains distant and illusory.
Daily life is endured in fear and pain, surrounded by appalling levels of neglect, abuse and
exploitation – in their homes, schools, neighbourhoods, in institutions aimed at their care
and protection and in cyberspace. Children are too frightened to speak up; they are
uncertain about the support they can receive, and lack information to seek advice and
protection in their healing, recovery and reintegration.
140. Violence is widespread, hidden and concealed; but it is not a fate. With the
implementation of the 2030 Agenda, children’s freedom from violence can be placed at the
heart of the policy agenda of every nation, helping reduce the risk of violence in children’s
lives and providing effective response to child victims.
141. The success of the 2030 Agenda will be measured by the actions taken and the
tangible, positive difference made in the lives of children, especially for those furthest
behind who are often the most at risk of violence.
142. The Special Representative remains deeply committed to mobilizing increased
support to the strengthening of children’s protection from violence and advancing progress
in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. With this aim, in 2018 she will provide special
attention to the following:
22 See James J. Heckman, Invest in early childhood development: Reduce deficits, strengthen the
economy, The Heckman Equation, 2012.
(a) Supporting national efforts to reach the violence-related Sustainable
Development Goals by mainstreaming children’s protection from violence into the national
policy agenda, furthering the enactment and enforcement of legislation banning all forms of
violence and the further consolidation of data and research, and promoting the inclusion in
voluntary national reviews and the high-level political forum on sustainable development of
positive experiences, lessons learned and commitments to overcome persisting challenges
and to assess progress in children’s exposure to violence; in this regard, the theme of the
high-level political forum in 2018 of “Building resilient societies and cities” will be a
strategic opportunity to promote safe urban spaces for all children, guided by the best
interests of the child and informed by children’s views and experiences;
(b) Advocating for early childhood development initiatives to enhance violence
prevention and break the cycle of violence in children’s lives. Good quality services in
early childhood help to improve the life chances of the most vulnerable children and to
enhance nations’ human capital; to support progress in this area, the Special Representative
will prepare a thematic report on early child development and the prevention of violence
against children;
(c) Safeguarding the rights of migrant and refugee children in the global
compacts for migration and refugees, and promoting a continuum of protection to prevent
and respond to the risks to which these children are subject throughout their perilous
journeys, where fear and insecurity are their constant companions. The Special
Representative will prepare a thematic report to document and promote action to prevent
the serious forms of violence that these children encounter;
(d) Further consolidating children’s protection from school violence, bullying
and cyberbullying, including by giving support to the follow-up report of the Secretary-
General on protecting children from bullying, as requested by the General Assembly in its
resolution 71/176. Bullying, a top priority concern for children, is often part of a
continuum from the schoolyard to the neighbourhood and increasingly found in
cyberspace. Strong political will and steady action can, however, prevent and address it,
building upon the good practices and experiences that the Secretary-General, in his report,
will help to gather and promote.
143. Although emerging from the depths of the worst nightmares imaginable, child
victims of violence remain resilient, generous and forward-looking. Across regions, young
advocates join hands with national authorities, civil society and many other allies in raising
awareness about the detrimental impact of violence, empowering children to be the first
line of protection from abuse and exploitation and inspiring others to build a world where
children can grow up free from fear and violence, where their hopes and dreams can be
realized.
144. Even in the most desperate of situations, children reveal hope for a better world and
prove their determination to achieve lasting change. We must not disappoint them.
Together, we can break the cycle of violence and deprivation that stunts children’s
development; we can prevent neglect, abuse and exploitation; we can support child victims
and ensure their access to justice; and we can provide the healing, recovery and
reintegration services they desperately need.
145. Joining hands together, the sum of our forces will be zero: zero violence against
children.