A/65/262 account in order to receive, hold, administer and disburse financial contributions provided to fund the operation of the Office of the Special Representative, including payment for personnel costs. III. Mandate of the Special Representative on violence against children 8. As a global independent advocate in favour of the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against children, the Special Representative acts as a bridgebuilder and a catalyst of actions in all regions, and across sectors and settings where violence against children may occur; she mobilizes action and political support to maintain momentum around this agenda and to achieve steady progress the world over. 9. The mandate of the Special Representative is framed by the United Nations study on violence against children and its strategic recommendations; it builds upon public health and child protection initiatives and developments, and envisages the protection of children from violence as a human rights imperative. Indeed, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international human rights instruments provide a firm normative foundation for the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against children. These international standards constitute a sound reference for mainstreaming the protection of children from violence in the national policy agenda, helping to avoid fragmented, diluted or simply reactive solutions and influencing lasting change through their steady implementation. For this reason, the Special Representative promotes the universal ratification and effective implementation of core human rights treaties. 10. The Special Representative makes use of mutually supportive strategies, including the promotion of advocacy for concerns related to violence against children; the contribution to strategic meetings at the international, regional and national levels, including for the identification of good practices, and the promotion of cross-fertilization of experiences across regions, sectors and settings; the organization of field missions; and the promotion of thematic studies and reports. IV. Priority focus for the mandate: a strategic agenda, solid partnerships and firm support 11. The protection of children from violence calls for urgent action. Violence is a harsh reality for millions of children around the world; it remains largely invisible and socially accepted, and it has serious, lifelong emotional and health impacts on children’s lives; it undermines child development and learning abilities, inhibits positive relationships, provokes trauma and depression and leads to risk-taking and aggressive behaviour. 12. Guided by this sense of urgency and the need to accelerate progress in key strategic areas, the Special Representative will, over the period of three years foreseen for her mandate, place a priority focus on: (a) Promoting a strategic agenda, building upon the recommendations of the United Nations study on violence against children; 4 10-47898