United Nations Secretary-General’s Study on Violence Against Children

The United Nations Secretary General appointed an Independent Expert in February 2003, Professor Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro to lead a global Study on Violence Against Children. The Study, based on children’s human rights to protection from all forms of violence, aims to promote action to prevent and eliminate violence against children at international, regional, national and local levels. The Study is a UN-led collaboration, mandated by the General Assembly (UN GA Resolution 57/190), to draw together existing research and relevant information about the forms, causes and impact of violence which affects children and young people (up to the age of 18 years). A major report will be published in 2006 and recommendations presented to the UN General Assembly. The Independent Expert stated in his concept paper: “It is hoped that the Study will be a dynamic force for change and by fostering advocacy for, and promoting proven interventions to prevent violence against children, will be a catalyst for the mobilization of resources and political will at the international and national levels that are required to address the problem”. The Independent Expert is conducting the Study in collaboration with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization.

Description of the Study

The Study focuses on the development of strategies aimed at effectively preventing and combating all forms of violence against children, outlining steps to be taken at the international level and by States to provide effective prevention, protection and intervention, treatment, recovery and reintegration. The Study seeks to provide an understanding of the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of different forms of violence against children, taking into account five main settings in which violence takes place: the home and the family; schools and educational settings; institutions (including children in conflict with the law); in work situations; and in the community generally. A range of cross-cutting issues are also featured, including trafficking and exploitation; children affected by HIV; refugee children; and media and information technologies.

Strategy to collect information and mobilise support

In preparing the Study report, the Independent Expert draws on a variety of sources, such as questionnaire responses from governments, official statistics and other data and information, reports from States parties under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, expert group meetings, conferences, summits, and reports from non-governmental organisations (NGOs). A call for public submissions was made in mid-2004 and resulted in more than 250 contributions on specific topics, in addition to more than 2000 existing reports. In addition, nine regional consultations were held throughout the world during early 2005, and a range of national processes fed into these.

The Study will rely on existing knowledge, research and documentation, including research conducted at the community level. As a first step, it will provide a "state-of-the-art" review of the current knowledge about violence against children gleaned from existing research, studies and other data sources, and will highlight gaps in data and research. It will prompt new research on emerging or neglected issues. The Study will also identify best practices for the prevention of and responses to violence against children.

Strategies to collect information for the Study

The Study pays particular attention to building partnerships with a wide range of actors, such as human rights bodies and regional human rights mechanisms, UN agencies, national human rights institutions, and NGOs and civil society. In his concept paper, the Independent Expert stated: “Their research and role in raising awareness and fostering commitment among key constituencies to address violence against children will be given attention from the outset and throughout the Study. Support networks already formed or developing, such as the NGO Advisory Panel for the UN Study on Violence Against Children, which aim to channel and coordinate input to the Study, will be particularly welcome, while utmost care will be taken to ensure open participation.”

The meaningful and significant participation of children and young people has been pivotal throughout the Study process, including through declarations and focus groups and their direct participation in the regional consultations. Children's perceptions of the definition of violence will be emphasised. Other strategies for involving children such as child-to-child surveys, including those being developed by NGOs, are being considered. Strategies developed by children themselves to confront violence will also be highlighted in the Study.

Final products of the Study

The final Study Report of the Independent Expert to the Secretary-General will be presented during the General Assembly at the end of 2006. This will be a brief, policy-oriented document with a particular focus on recommendations on how to address violence against children. A child-friendly version of the Study Report will also be produced, in addition to a more elaborate publication of the Study Report with more details, case studies, best practices, etc. as well the recommendations and information about implementation. Wide dissemination of these reports is anticipated, with national launches of the Study report and translation of the report and its recommendations. The website of the UN Study on Violence Against Children will be a key channel for communicating about the Study and developments in the lead up to the launch in 2006 and beyond. The regular Study Secretariat newsletters will also available online.

Related documents/more information

• Website of the UN Study on Violence Against Children
• UNICEF website
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
• World Health Organization
• Save the Children (child participation resources)
• ECPAT [End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes] report on Violence Against Children in Cyberspace