A/HRC/52/61 poverty by the COVID-19 pandemic.4 Poverty drives various forms of violence, including through child labour, child marriage, trafficking in and smuggling of children, sexual exploitation of children and recruitment of children into criminal, armed and violent extremist groups. For example, UNICEF estimates that over the next decade, more than 10 million more girls are at risk of becoming child brides as a result of the pandemic.5 UNICEF and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have warned that without mitigation strategies, the number of children in child labour could rise by 8.9 million by the end of 2022 as a result of higher levels of poverty and increased vulnerability.6 6. According to estimates by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of people who have been forcibly displaced worldwide may have reached 103 million by mid-2022, the highest number ever.7 If the trends from 2021 hold, about 42 million may be children. Displaced children are more likely to experience various forms of violence at every stage of their journey. In addition, they continue to lack access to humanitarian assistance and services; risk being deprived of liberty under policies that criminalize irregular migration because of their migrant status or that of their parents; and face discrimination and the possibility of statelessness. 7. The impact of violence is devastating, immediate and lifelong. Violence against children impairs their brain development, their physical and mental health and their ability to learn. The economic costs are also staggering, as stressed in the annual report of the Special Representative to the Human Rights Council at its forty-ninth session.8 A paradigm shift is needed in response. Throughout the reporting period, the Special Representative and key partners have stressed that spending on cross-sectoral child- and gender-sensitive protection and violence prevention yields high returns and must be viewed as an investment. Costeffective prevention and response measures already exist and should be embedded in Governments’ economic growth and development plans, supported by adequate resources, monitoring and accountability mechanisms. 8. Today’s challenges underline the essential role of multilateralism and international cooperation and partnerships, the strengthening of South-South, North-South and circular cooperation and the exchange of promising practices. The Special Representative, who has emphasized this in every interaction with Member States and other partners, is grateful for their support in facilitating the sharing of experiences and peer learning across all regions. B. Mobilizing action, building bridges and strengthening cooperation with key stakeholders Support for Member States 9. The Special Representative continued her close engagement with Member States in their preparation of voluntary national reviews as part of the 2030 Agenda follow-up and review mechanisms. These regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and subnational levels, which are country-led and country-driven, are the basis for the regular reviews by the high-level political forum on sustainable development. 10. In 2022, the Special Representative engaged with 44 Member States that were presenting their voluntary national reviews or in which voluntary local reviews were being undertaken. The Special Representative supported them during the process by advocating for a comprehensive, multisectoral and integrated approach to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals as they relate to violence against children and its drivers. She mobilized the United Nations system at the global, regional and country levels to enhance technical support for Member States, particularly through her engagements with resident 4 5 6 7 8 GE.22-29128 See https://www.unicef.org/social-policy/child-poverty. See https://www.unicef.org/protection/child-marriage. See https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_845351/lang--en/index.htm. See https://www.unhcr.org/statistics/unhcrstats/635a578f4/mid-year-trends-2022. A/HRC/49/57. 3