A/72/275 73. Significant legislative measures were adopted to consolidate the normative foundation of children’s protection from violence and address specific manifestations of violence. In Sweden, incorporation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child into national legislation is being pursued to ensure that the Convention’s provisions are fully respected in all decisions affecting children. 74. In Malaysia, the passing of the Sexual Offences against Children Bill 2017 strengthened the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation. The bill criminalizes the grooming of children, promotes their protection from online abuse and recognizes them as competent witnesses in sexual crime cases. 75. Chile adopted a new law that criminalizes the physical or psychological maltreatment of children or of any person with disabilities. The law increases penalties and introduces new sanctions, including barring offenders from employment in the education or health sectors or other positions that may involve a direct relationship with a victim. 76. Brazil adopted important new legislation to safeguard the rights of child victims and witnesses of violence. The legislation requires the federal, state and local governments to develop comprehensive and coordinated policies to secure children’s right to freedom from violence in all settings, including the home and family. The law recognizes the rights of children to the following : access to information and legal representation, participation in decisions that affect them, the ability to benefit from relevant support services, protection from revictimization, and reparation. It also establishes accessible, safe, confidential and ch ild-friendly reporting, counselling and complaint mechanisms for child victims and witnesses of violence, recognizing their right to be listened to by well -trained professionals and in a child-friendly environment. Importantly, it recognizes the duty of an y person who witnesses or knows of any act of physical, psychological or sexual violence committed against a child in a private or local setting to immediately report such violence to the competent authorities, who should then bring it to the attention of the public prosecutor. 77. Important efforts continued to be promoted to consolidate national data systems on children’s exposure to violence through national household surveys in Asia and Africa, including in Cambodia, Kenya, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines and Zimbabwe. In 2017, an important national survey was conducted in Mexico, and similar initiatives are under preparation in Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. 78. These surveys have helped to bring to light the hidden reality of violence in children’s lives and to shape evidence-based national plans of action to address priority concerns. This has been critical to promoting better cross -sectoral coordination at different levels of administration and involving a wide range of stakeholders, including academia, civil society, religious leaders and the private sector, as well as children themselves. 79. In some cases, surveys have given greater visibility to pressing areas of concern and led to further research. In the Philippines, for example, a national baseline study on violence against children helped to raise awareness and promote violence-prevention efforts; encourage reporting and enhance the capacity of service-providers; and support legislation, policies and programmes for children. The study emphasized the need to gather gender-disaggregated data to assess the different risks of sexual abuse faced by boys and girls, and to help inform gender sensitive advocacy, prevention and response strategies, and the provision of appropriate services to victims. 12/18 17-13267