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SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- There has been progress on these issues in Malawi, including the adoption in 2015 of the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act, which increased the minimum age of marriage to 18 years; the Government's commitment, in November 2016, to align the Constitution with that legislation and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; and the crucial role played by traditional leaders in mobilizing their communities to prevent the early and forced marriage of girls and to ensure their return to school to pursue their education.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Harmful Practices
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 75
- Paragraph text
- In October 2016, in Malawi, the Special Representative promoted the further implementation of the policy agenda launched during her previous visit undertaken in response to the findings of the 2015 violence against children survey. During the follow-up visit, she paid special attention to the prevention and abandonment of harmful practices, helping to focus national attention on the prevalence of child marriage, abuse associated with sexual initiation ceremonies, attacks against children with albinism and other practices compromising the rights of children, particularly girls.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 74
- Paragraph text
- In February 2016, the Special Representative supported the launch of the results of the survey in Nigeria, conducted by the Government in cooperation with UNICEF and the Together for Girls partnership. Nigeria was the first country in West Africa to conduct a national survey on such a large scale. In response to its findings, the Year of Action to End Violence against Children was launched, along with a call to action to federal and state ministries and agencies, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, the media, communities, parents and children to join together to prevent and respond to violence against children. As a key contribution to this process, the Special Representative participated in the launch of the campaign and policy agenda to end violence against children in Lagos State; Cross River State launched its campaign to end violence against children on 16 June 2016, the second state in Nigeria to respond to the call to action.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- Surrounded by such a devastating reality, children feel ready to embark on a perilous journey of uncertainty and to confront serious risks in the hope of finding a place of safety and security. Girls undertaking this journey face particularly serious risks of abuse and exploitation owing to their youth and gender. Some may be lured by traffickers with false promises of safety, an education or a future job. Others may be fleeing sexual abuse or the threat of a forced marriage; they may even have been sold into marriage by their desperate families, both to avoid the risk of rape and with the hope that the girl will acquire the citizenship of her husband.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- This is no time for complacency. Around the world, millions of girls and boys of all ages continue to be exposed to appalling levels of violence, in their neighbourhoods, in their schools, in institutions aimed at their care and protection, and also within the home.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 16b
- Paragraph text
- [The agenda of the Special Representative has been guided by four strategic priorities: consolidating progress and mainstreaming implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations study; ensuring that violence against children is given prominence on the global agenda; reinforcing regional processes to enhance the protection of children from violence; and addressing emerging concerns. Significant results have been achieved, including:] Enhancing awareness and consolidating knowledge to prevent and respond to violence against children through international expert consultations, the development of research and the release of strategic thematic studies. As noted above, in 2016, two major studies Protecting Children Affected by Armed Violence in the Community and Ending the Torment: Tackling Bullying from the Schoolyard to Cyberspace were released. Previous studies by the Special Representative have addressed violence in schools and in the justice system; restorative justice for children; the rights of girls in the criminal justice system; child-sensitive counselling, and reporting and complaint mechanisms; protection of children from harmful practices; and the opportunities and risks for children associated with information and communications technologies. Child-friendly materials were also produced to inform and empower children concerning their right to freedom from violence, most recently issued in Braille;
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Trafficking in persons continues to increase, and in some regions more than 60 per cent of victims are children. Countless millions of children are involved in exploitative work and slavery-like practices. In developing countries, one in every three girls is married before age 18 and one in nine is married before age 15, and children below 15 years represent 8 per cent of victims of homicides globally.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2017, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- The year was also marked by the adoption by the World Health Assembly of resolution WHA69.5, in which the Assembly endorsed the World Health Organization (WHO) global plan of action to strengthen the role of the health system within a national multisectoral response to address interpersonal violence, in particular against women and girls, and against children. WHO also released INSPIRE, a package of evidence-based strategies to prevent and respond to violence against children. Furthermore, a global study led by ECPAT-End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking in Children for Sexual Purposes was issued to shed light on and reinforce collective efforts for the protection of children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism. And the Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, adopted by an inter-agency working group meeting in Luxembourg, were released to provide conceptual clarity to actions aimed at the protection of children, close legal loopholes and address misinterpretations that may put their safety at risk .
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- Children on the move, including refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and victims of trafficking or smuggling may be placed in detention centres or cells in military bases or confined in restricted areas in airports, harbour facilities and islands. They may also be subject to involuntary transportation in vehicles, aeroplanes, boats or other vessels. Girls may be deprived of liberty supposedly for their own protection, including when they are at risk of honour crimes, trafficking or other forms of violence and, while detained, exposed to the risk?of?further?abuse and exploitation.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 75c
- Paragraph text
- [Recent research on this topic has revealed a number of significant and worrying developments:] Of the content depicting children 15 years of age or younger, 93.1 per cent featured girls;
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- Developed by the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum, the Model Law has the potential to inform action to end child marriage. This is an area where incremental progress is being achieved, for example with recent legislative developments in the Gambia and the United Republic of Tanzania. In 2015, Malawi adopted the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act, which raised the minimum age of marriage to 18 years. The social mobilization around that process and the important partnership developed with traditional leaders helped to raise awareness of the new law and achieve important results, including a landmark initiative led by a female traditional chief that resulted in the initial annulment of 330 child marriages in a single district and since then has broken up 850 child marriages and banned the sexual initiation of girls.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Harmful Practices
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- The First African Girls' Summit on Ending Child Marriage in Africa was held in Lusaka in November 2015. Hosted by the African Union and the Government of Zambia, the Summit gathered Heads of State and Government, ministers responsible for gender and children, United Nations entities, development partners, civil society organizations and religious and traditional leaders, as well as young people who have experienced child marriage. The participants took stock of the progress made to end child marriage across the continent, shared evidence and good practices and renewed their commitment to bringing an end to this and other harmful practices in Africa.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- In February 2016, the Special Representative supported the launch of the results of the Nigeria survey, conducted by the Government in cooperation with UNICEF and the Together for Girls partnership. Nigeria was the first country in West Africa to conduct such a large-scale national survey. In response to its findings, the Year of Action to End Violence against Children was launched, along with a call to action for federal and state ministries and agencies, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, the media, communities, parents and children to join together to prevent and respond to violence against children.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- The First African Girls' Summit on Ending Child Marriage was held in Lusaka in November 2015. Hosted by the African Union and the Government of Zambia, the summit gathered Heads of State and Government, ministers responsible for gender and children, United Nations agencies, development partners, civil society organizations and religious and traditional leaders as well as young people who have experienced child marriage. The participants took stock of the progress made to end child marriage across the continent, shared evidence and good practices and renewed their commitment to end child marriage and other harmful practices in Africa.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Harmful Practices
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Youth
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- This is no time for complacency. Around the world, millions of girls and boys of all ages continue to be exposed to appalling levels of violence, in their neighbourhoods, in schools, in institutions aimed at their care and protection and within the home.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 24b
- Paragraph text
- [The agenda of the Special Representative has been guided by four strategic priorities: consolidating progress in and mainstreaming the implementation of the 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:] 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;
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- The violence-related targets in the 2030 Agenda are achievable, but measuring progress will need to be supported by sound data and stronger national statistical capacity. Along with the consolidation of knowledge and data on children's exposure to sexual, physical and emotional violence, it is crucial to develop enhanced tools and methodologies that can capture the full magnitude and incidence of all forms of violence against all girls and boys under 18 years of age.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- There is no time for complacency. Around the world, millions of girls and boys of all ages continue to be exposed to appalling levels of violence, in their neighbourhoods, in their schools, in institutions aimed at their care and protection and within the home.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2016, para. 9b
- Paragraph text
- [The following strategic dimensions of this important agenda in which significant progress has been made are highlighted in the report:] Enhancing awareness and consolidating knowledge to prevent and respond to violence against children by hosting international expert consultations, developing research on strategic topics and publishing studies. The publications included Toward a World Free from Violence: Global Survey on Violence against Children; 10 thematic studies on 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; reports on protecting children from harmful practices and from armed violence and organized crime; and a report on opportunities and risks associated with information and communication technologies (ICTs). In addition, child-friendly materials were produced to inform and empower children about their right to freedom from violence;
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 136
- Paragraph text
- Recognizing the relevance of that area, the Special Representative welcomes the call by the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly for a global study on children deprived of their liberty, and remains fully committed to contributing to its development. The global study will provide a strategic opportunity to prevent girls' deprivation of liberty, and associated risks of stigmatization and violence; safeguard girls' rights as victims, witnesses and alleged perpetrators; and promote their long-lasting recovery and reintegration.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 135
- Paragraph text
- Thirdly, ending impunity and tolerance of violence against girls. That calls for information and social mobilization initiatives to overcome social norms compromising girls' protection from violence. It also requires strong accountability mechanisms in places of detention and effective training of professionals in the formal and informal justice system. Solid skills are indeed indispensable to address the complexities and sensitivities of violence against girls, to be effective in the prevention, investigation and prosecution of cases, and to safeguard girls' safety and protection, including when girls are deprived of their liberty. In that regard, it is important to promote special measures to protect girls' dignity and physical integrity through the use of alternative screening methods to replace strip and invasive body searches.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 134
- Paragraph text
- Secondly, the establishment of widely available and easily accessible, safe and confidential mechanisms to support girls to overcome the fear of reporting cases of violence. They need to be supported by child- and gender-sensitive standards to ensure the effective participation of girls in relevant judicial and administrative proceedings, and to safeguard their safety, privacy and dignity at all stages.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 130
- Paragraph text
- Seeking redress through the criminal justice system can also be very intimidating, as girls fear that their credibility may be questioned, or that they may be blamed, rather than protected as victims. In countries where discrimination and stigma against sexual violence is high, it is particularly hard for girls to approach police stations or courts, for fear of verbal intimidation and harassment, and of seeing their testimony dismissed.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 129
- Paragraph text
- Those girls face overwhelming challenges at all stages, including significant barriers to seeking justice. Many are unaware of their rights and even fewer have access to safe, effective and child-sensitive counselling, reporting and complaints mechanisms. Furthermore, perpetrators are often people they know and trust, or on whom they depend for their survival and protection, raising additional challenges to reporting incidents and preventing the risk of reprisals.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 128
- Paragraph text
- Either as victims, witnesses or alleged offenders, those girls are in desperate need of care, treatment and protection, and gender-sensitive approaches to promote their social reintegration. Sadly, many of them may be at risk of ill-treatment and re-victimization by the justice system itself.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 127
- Paragraph text
- As a result, countless girls end up deprived of their liberty, far away from home and family visits, and placed in units together with adult women. They may find themselves in harsh conditions, in overcrowded cells or in solitary confinement. They may be exposed to sexual violence, harassment, invasive body searches and humiliating treatment by staff in detention centres. In some countries, girls may face inhuman sentencing, including flogging, stoning and capital punishment.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 126
- Paragraph text
- In many parts of the world, there is a lack of alternative non-custodial measures and community-based programmes tailored to girls' developmental needs. Restorative justice approaches are rare and there is a lack of investment in programmes that promote girls' health and education and long-lasting reintegration.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 125
- Paragraph text
- Girls may also be criminalized for status offences or on the grounds of "immoral character" or "perverse conduct". Those who are victims of trafficking may end up being arrested and incarcerated as a result of their exploitation by prostitution rings. Girls may also be forced by boyfriends and family members or manipulated by criminal groups to commit offences, such as selling drugs.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 124
- Paragraph text
- Driven by fear and superstition, incidents of violence are seldom reported or followed by investigation or prosecution. Girls may conceal them too, fearing further harassment and reprisals. Overall there is a pervasive culture of impunity.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 123
- Paragraph text
- In some communities, certain incidents of violence reflect harmful beliefs towards particularly marginalized girls, including those with disabilities or albinism, who may be accused of witchcraft. As a result, those girls endure stigmatization and are the victims of serious acts of violence, neglect, abandonment, mutilation and murder.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph