A/71/206 their lives. Incrementally, children and their families are gaining access to counselling and legal advice and representation to address incidents of violence. 23. The inclusion of the elimination of violence against children in the 2030 Agenda stems from these converging efforts and results from the sense of urgency generated by the magnitude and impact of the problem and of the evidence proving that there are solutions that work. 24. The agenda of the Special Representative has been guided by four strategic priorities: consolidating progress in and mainstreaming the implementation of t he recommendations of the United Nations study; enhancing awareness and consolidating knowledge on violence against children; reinforcing regional processes and national implementation efforts; and addressing emerging concerns. The following significant results have been achieved: (a) Consolidation of the human rights foundation for protecting children from violence through the launch in 2010 of the campaign for universal ratification of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This has led to a steady increase in the number of ratifications of the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, in force in 173 countries, and to the promotion of new international standards, including the Optio nal Protocol on a communications procedure; the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) of the International Labour Organization; and the United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Fiel d of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 69/194; (b) Enhanced awareness and consolidated knowledge to prevent and respond to violence against children through international expert consultations, the development of research and the release of thematic studies on strategic topics such as violence in schools and in the justice system, restorative justice for children, the rights of girls in the criminal justice system, and child -sensitive counselling and reporting and complaint mechanisms, as well as reports on the protection of children from harmful practices and from armed violence and organized crime and on opportunities and risks associated with information and communications technologies. Child-friendly materials were also produced to inform and empower children about their right to freedom from violence, most recently in Braille; (c) Institutionalized processes of regional cooperation for the implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations study with periodic review meetings to assess and accelerate progress; and the hosting of six cross -regional round tables to enhance cooperation towards the prevention and elimination of violence, most recently to inform the development and implementation of regional plans supporting the 2030 Agenda and its targets related to combating violence; (d) Strengthened national implementation efforts to free children from violence, especially through the adoption and implementation of comprehensive multisectoral national strategies in more than 90 countries, most recently in the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria and Norway; the enactment of national legislation banning all forms of violence against children in more than 50 countries, most recently in France, Ireland, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Peru and Viet Nam; and the consolidation of data systems, including through national household surveys in 15 countries in Asia and 6/23 16-12906