A/HRC/28/55 challenges they face when involved with the criminal justice system, as victims and witnesses of violence, and when deprived of their liberty. That is a concern the Special Representative will continue to pursue. 123. In 1995, data from many countries showed that girls experienced discrimination from the earliest stages of life, through their childhood and into adulthood.37 Owing to violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, harmful attitudes and practices, such as female genital mutilation, son preference and child marriage, many girls do not survive into adulthood. They are neglected and their self-esteem undermined, with the risk of initiating a lifelong downward spiral of deprivation and exclusion.38 124. The Beijing Declaration includes nine strategic objectives to promote the elimination of all forms of discrimination, negative cultural attitudes and practices, and violence against the girl child.39 Over the past two decades, significant progress has been made to safeguard the rights of girls, including through strengthened legislation, policy and national plans of actions. However, as noted in the Global Survey conducted by the Special Representative’s office,40 and other important studies, violence against girls, and overall against children and women, remains a global challenge. 125. Girls are often exposed to violence and discrimination owing to their gender, young age and powerlessness. They endure the detrimental impact of physical, mental and sexual violence in the home, at school, in the community, in institutional care and in justice institutions. Child trafficking is a crime that is on the rise and the majority of victims are girls.41 Despite the criminalization of female genital mutilation/cutting in many parts of the world, every year 3 million girls are at risk of enduring that practice and around 14 million girls are forcibly married, often with much older men, and exposed to high risks of sexual abuse and other forms of violence. 126. 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. 127. 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. 128. 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. 129. 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. 130. 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 37 38 39 40 41 See A/CONF.177/20/Rev.1, para. 259. Ibid., para. 260. Ibid., paras. 274–285. See note 13 above. See www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/GLOTIP_2014_full_report.pdf, p. 10. 21