Children's rights and protection concerns run the risk of being in a waiting slot... We can not afford to fail

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On 14 October 2009, the newly appointed Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on Violence against Children for the first time addressed the Third Committee of the General Assembly. The establishment of this post was first recommended in the 2006 UN Study on Violence Against Children, and subsequently requested by the General Assembly in separate resolutions. The appointment of the SRSG was delayed and remained unfilled until May 1 2009 when, due to continues efforts of NGOs, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Marta Santos Pais as his Special Representative on Violence against Children. She has officially started on 1 September.

In her first address to the Third Committee on 14 October, 2009 the SRSG, Ms Marta Santos Pais (Portugal), said that thanks to the UN Study on Violence against Children, there is a worldwide movement aimed at protecting children from all forms of violence. She outlined the strategy of the SRSG for the next three years saying that the agenda will be built upon the recommendations provided in the UN Study on Violence. “The Study recommendations are comprehensive and may be perceived as ambitious, [... ], they will require strategic prioritization of actions, [... ]”. The SRSG emphasised the importance of protecting children from violence; establishing a strong ground for the prevention of all forms of violence against children; taking the views and experiences of young people into consideration in all matters affecting their lives. “Sound funding is instrumental and solid partnership remain critical” to achieve tangible results within three years.

Ms. Pais outlined three main recommendations to focus on over the near future. Promoting the development in each State of a national compressive strategy; introducing a legal ban on all forms of violence against children; and promoting a national data collection system and research agenda would remain at the forefront of the SRSG's agenda. 

“Strong political will is essential to move this process forward, [... ], children's rights and protection concerns run the risk of being in a waiting slot. [... ] We can not afford to fail!”, Ms. Pais concluded.

The address of the SRSG is available here.

More updates on the 64th General Assembly is available at:http://www.un.org/ga/

For more information on the opening of the 64th session of the General Assembly see ISHR's New York Alert.

 

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