A/HRC/16/56
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
7 March 2011
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Sixteenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights
including the right to development
Joint report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children,
child prostitution and child pornography and the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against
Children* **
Summary
The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 13/20
entitled “Rights of the child: the fight against sexual violence against children”. It provides
an overview of accessible and child-sensitive counselling, complaint and reporting
mechanisms to address incidents of violence, including sexual violence and exploitation,
and draws attention to positive developments and persisting challenges. The report also
highlights legal obligations, roles and responsibilities of State institutions and other key
stakeholders, and makes recommendations for the strengthening of these mechanisms to
safeguard children’s right to freedom from all forms of violence.
* The annex to the present report is circulated as received, in the language of submission
only.
** Late submission.
GE.11-11568