Human Rights Council: Special Event on Children and Violence

Summary: The fourth session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place in Geneva from 12 March to 5 April 2007. To complement with the launch of the UN Study on Violence Against Children in October at the General Assembly, the Independent Expert who lead the Study, Paulo Pinheiro will present his report to the HRC at a special event.

• NEWS: Read the event's report here (in English) (en Francais)

Following the launch of the UN Study on Violence Against Children at the 61st session of the UN General Assembly in October 2006, a resolution was adopted which extended Paulo Pinheiro's mandate as Independent Expert for another year.

His activities are to serve as follow-up to the Study and include:

• dissemination of the Study findings
• identification and dissemination of proven and promising practices
• networking and information sharing

This special event at the Human Rights Council will be an opportunity for Pinheiro to present his Study to the Human Rights Council, but also to engage governments and civil society to discuss follow-up.

The event will take place at Palais des Nations in Geneva at 3pm.

Participants include:

Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, President of the Human Rights Council (Moderator)
Professor Sergio Pinheiro, Independent Expert for the United Nations Study on Violence Against Children
Representatives from International Organizations that participated in the elaboration of the Study (WHO, UNICEF, OHCHR, ILO) (TBD)
Ms. Roberta Cecchetti, representative from the NGO Advisory Group on Violence Against Children

Objectives of the meeting

To exchange views on the possible measures that States and the international community can undertake for the development of strategies to effectively prevent and combat all forms of violence against children, taking into account the elements and recommendations of the United Nations World Study on Violence Against Children, elaborated by the Independent Expert Professor Sergio Pinheiro at the request of the UN Secretary General.

The independent Study, recently presented by Professor Pinheiro to the General Assemby and to the Council, provides important elements for the international community to consider so as to combat all forms of violence against children through comprehensive strategies.

The United Nations General Assembly has invited the Independent Expert, in cooperation with Human Rights Council and other relevant actors, to give dissemination to the study and to give support to the first year of effective follow up to its recommendations with an integrated approach that bridges the dimensions of public health, education, child protection and human rights.

In this regard, the event seeks also to raise awareness and gain a better understanding about the United Nations Study on Violence Against Children, and to exchange views regarding the role that the Human Rights Council can assume, in cooperation with States and all relevant actors, in order to contribute to its follow up.

For further information about the Fourth Session of the Human Rights Council, visit our website at: http://www.crin.org/hrc/ 

• Special Event on Children and Violence: Report (in English) (in French)
• Fourth Session of the UN Human Rights Council
• UN Study on Violence Against Children
• NGO Group subgroup on children and violence
• CRIN's website on violence against children