(November 20, 2006) In 2001 the UN General Assembly requested the Secretary General to conduct an in-depth study on violence against children. The Study is intended to lead to 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 State Parties.

An independent expert, Professor Paulo Pinheiro was appointed in 2002 to write the UN Study Report. Save the Children was actively involved in the regional consultations that took place over the next four years. Children across the globe were consulted extensively.

The UN Study was presented to the UN General Assembly on 11 October 2006.

Save the Children has given priority to the UN Study because:

1. Children all over the world have identified violence as a key priority to be addressed.
2. Save the Children believes that the UN Study is a unique opportunity to challenge and change attitudes. The Study also promotes further collaboration between non-governmental organisations, international non-governmental organisations, UN agencies, academia and institutions to take actions against violence.
3. Save the Children has practical experience in preventing and addressing violence against children. Save the Children has knowledge for promoting and ensuring children's ethical and meaningful participation.

Save the Children would like these 6 recommendations to be implemented:

1. Governments must do more to end violence against children. Whilst they have the primary obligation, all of us have a responsibility to end violence against children.
2. It is essential to listen to girls and boys and involve them in solutions to ending violence against children.
3. Governments must establish effective national protection systems, which seek to prevent violence from occurring in the first place and respond to it if it does.
4. Governments must support children in conflict with the law to be supported by child-friendly juvenile justice systems, which focus on rehabilitation and protection.
5. Men and boys are essential partners for ending violence against children.
6. An independent UN Special Representative is essential for driving forward the urgent global project to end violence against children.

Today Save the Children issued the following press release:

• Save the Children Canada/UNICEF Join Canadian Youth Delegates in Effort to End Violence against Children

Save the Children created a global task force to provide input into the UN Study. Their work is captured in the following resources:

Child-Friendly Resources:  visit our page for kids

Archives:

The UN Study on Violence Against Children 2006 (PDF)

Advocacy Card on ending violence against children_English (PDF)

Why effective national child protection systems are needed
Save the Children's key recommendations in response to the UN Secretary General's Study on Violence against Children. Save the Children, 2006

Why effective national child protection systems are needed (Spanish version "Por qué son necesarios los sistemas de protección?")
Recomendaciones clave de Save the Children como respuesta as Estudio del Secretario General de Naciones Unidas sobre la Violencia contra los Ninos y Ninas, Save the Children 2006

Save the Children's Summary Analysis Report part 1
Highlighting Key Comparisons between the UN Secretary General's Study on Violence against Children and the Views and Recommendations from Children and Young People

Save the Children's Summary Analysis Report part II
Highlighting Key Comparisons between the UN Secretary General's Study on Violence against Children and the Views and Recommendations from Save the Children

After the UN Study - What next?
A discussion paper on possible outcomes of the UN Study on Violence against Children. Save the Children, 2004

Call for action!
Key advocacy messages and recommendations on priority themes for the UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence against Children. Save the Children's advocacy leaflet for the Regional Consultations on the UN Study. Save the Children, 2005

Betrayal of Trust
An overview of Save the Children's findings on children's experience of physical and humiliating punishment, child sexual abuse and violence when in conflict with the law. (Save the Children, 2006)

The Right Not to Lose Hope
"Children in Conflict with the Law - A Policy Analysis and Examples of Good Practice". This Save the Children report on children's experience under legal systems was submitted to the UN Study on Violence Against Children in 2005 

Children´s actions to end violence against girls and boys
Save the Children, 2006.

Questions and Answers re the Special Repr. To the Secretary General (PDF)
Save the Children, 2006

Child sexual abuse and exploitation Resources:

10 Essential learning points: Listen and speak out against sexual abuse of girls and boys
Save the Children's submission to the UN Study on Violence against Children on child sexual abuse and exploitation. Save the Children, 2005

10 Essential learning points: (Spanish- 10 puntos de aprendizaje Esenciales escuchar y pronunciarse contra el abuso sexual a ninas y ninos)
Save the Children's submission to the UN Study on Violence against Children on child sexual abuse and exploitation. Save the Children, 2005

Our Guidelines on Child participation within the UN Study:  So you want to consult with children (English, 2003)