A/68/274 38. These studies have triggered important policy developments at the international, regional and national levels. The study on child-sensitive mechanisms has become an influential reference point in respect of support for the implementation of the Optional Protocol on a communications procedure. The report tackling violence in schools has generated significant policy discussions at the regional and national levels, most recently following the launch of its Spanishlanguage version during the Special Representative’s visit to El Salvador. 39. The study on harmful practices was released to mark the first anniversary of the International Day of the Girl Child, observed on 11 October 2012. Jointly developed with Plan International, in cooperation with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the African Union, it served as a reference with a sound perspective during the 2013 celebration of the Day of the African Child, devoted to the theme: “Eliminating harmful social and cultural practices affecting children: our collective responsibility”. The study will frame additional regional initiatives to support the abandonment of harmful practices, including the consultation organized with the South Asia Initiative to End Violence against Children (SAIEVAC) (an apex body of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)) in September 2013 in Bhutan. 40. The joint report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Special Representative on prevention of and responses to violence against children within the juvenile justice system was launched with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Governments of Austria and Thailand during the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly. These partners also participated in the presentation of the study to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in April 2013. As a follow-up, the Commission called for an open-ended intergovernmental expert group to develop model strategies and practical measures on the elimination of violence against children in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. The expert meeting will be hosted by the Government of Thailand. 17 41. As addressed below, during the reporting period, the Special Representative convened two important expert meetings, on violence in early childhood; and restorative justice for children. Preparatory work was also initiated on the protection of children from gang and armed violence, and on opportunities and risks associated with the use of information and communications technologies, to be addressed by upcoming expert consultations. 1. Prevention and elimination of violence in early childhood 42. The study called for the protection from violence of children in their early years, and recognized the crucial importance of positive parenting, home visitation, and early childhood care and development programmes (see box II). 43. Early childhood is a fundamental stage in children’s development, and offers a strategic opportunity to prevent violence and break the cycle of abuse affecting children. In early years, incidents of violence often occur in the privacy of the __________________ 17 13-41970 See the report of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on the twentysecond session (Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2013, Supplement No. 10 and corrigendum) (E/2013/30 and Corr.1). 9/26