A/HRC/13/46
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
3 February 2010
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Thirteenth session
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,
Marta Santos Pais*
Summary
This report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence
against Children is submitted to the Human Rights Council in accordance with General
Assembly resolution 64/146.
Ms. Santos Pais assumed her position on 1 September 2009. In this preliminary
report, she recalls the history leading up to the establishment of the position of the Special
Representative, and the scope of the mandate, as defined by General Assembly resolution
62/141. She outlines her vision and priority areas for her work and the strategies she
intends to use to achieve progress in implementing the mandate entrusted to her, which
builds upon the recommendations of the United Nations study on violence against children
(A/61/299).
The report highlights the need to accelerate progress in key strategic areas and the
special emphasis the Special Representative will place on three overarching
recommendations of the study, namely the development in each State of a comprehensive
strategy on violence against children; the introduction of an explicit national legal ban on
all forms of violence; and the consolidation of national data collection, analysis and
dissemination, and research in this field.
The report reviews key developments and initiatives promoted by the Special
Representative during the initial months of her mandate to advance progress in the study
follow-up at the global, regional and national levels; to promote a consultative process and
strengthen strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, including Governments, United
Nations partners, human rights bodies and mechanisms, civil society organizations and
children and young people; and to secure firm support for her mandate.
* Late submission.
GE.10-10640 (E) 250210