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The United Nations establish a new high level mechanism to counter violence against children
[Geneva, December 4, 2007] - On Tuesday, November 27, the Third Committee of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (GA) adopted the 2007 Resolution on the Rights of the Child (A/C.3/62/L.24/Rev.1)[1] asking for the appointment of a Special Representative to the UN Secretary General on Violence Against Children. The Resolution was adopted almost unanimously by a vote of 176 countries in favour and one against: the United States. This represents a major step in the fight to counter violence against children, including torture and other ill-treatment. The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) played an active role in the long process leading up to the adoption of this Resolution and it welcomes the decision of the General Assembly. The process was initiated in 2000, when the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child proposed to conduct a comprehensive, global and in-depth study on violence against children. In February 2003, the GA appointed an Independent Expert, Pr. Sergio Paulo Pinheiro, to lead the study. This turned out to be an extensive, participatory process, with a multi-sectoral approach, involving not only governments and intergovernmental organisations but also experts and civil society, including non-governmental organisations such as OMCT, as well as children. In October 2006, the Independent Expert presented the Study report and its conclusions to the GA. It revealed the widespread and intolerable use of violence against children worldwide, affecting both girls and boys of all ages, all social backgrounds, and all nationalities, with devastating short and long-term repercussions. The Expert also proposed a set of recommendations, including the establishment of a new high level mechanism to ensure continued attention and action to end violence against children. Last year, the UN GA missed the opportunity to establish the mandate of the Special Representative to the Secretary General on Violence against Children, despite the strong recommendation of Sergio Paulo Pinheiro. This mandate is finally agreed now. As one of the leading NGOs advocating for the UN Study on Violence Against Children and the establishment of a high level mechanism on violence against children, OMCT applauds the decision of the Third Committee of the GA. Indeed, OMCT has been at the forefront of the process for the past seven years. In November 2001, it organised the “International Conference on Children, Torture and Other forms of Violence: Facing the Facts, Forging the Future”, in Tampere, Finland. This Conference was an open consultation of key players from around the globe, whose final declaration called for the establishment of new international mechanisms to eradicate violence against children. OMCT also took an active part in the NGO Advisory Panel of the UN Study on Violence against Children and then in the NGO Advisory Council for the follow-up to the Study. According to the Resolution adopted on November 27, the new Special Representative on Violence against Children shall “promote the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against children in all regions, […] support […] the implementation of the recommendations of the UN Study on violence against children, […] identify and share good practices to prevent and respond to violence against children”. In order to achieve this, the Special Representative will collaborate with all relevant UN agencies (especially the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization), States, UN human rights bodies and mechanisms as well as civil society and children themselves. While welcoming this decision, OMCT regrets that country visits and the possibility to receive urgent appeals from NGOs are not expressly mentioned in the resolution as important means of action available to the new Special Representative. It also believes that the crucial question is now the nomination of the expert who will hold this challenging position. OMCT will advocate to ensure that the individual selected is committed to the fundamental message according to which “no violence against children is justifiable and all violence is preventable”. In this regard, it is critical that the new Special Representative on Violence against Children is prepared to denounce all forms of socially and legally sanctioned violence against children, even if such a position is likely to be unpopular among States.