Submitted by crinadmin on
Two years after the UN Study on Violence Against Children revealed widespread violence faced by millions of children worldwide, we are still waiting for the UN to act by appointing a Special Representative on Violence Against Children. In 2006, the Secretary-General's Study on Violence against Children found that the short and long-term repercussions of the violence faced by millions of children are devastating—including injuries, disabilities, life-long emotional and psychological effects, sometimes death, as well as significant economic and other costs to society. The Study presented a comprehensive set of recommendations detailing necessary steps to prevent and respond to violence against children. The study further recommended that "governments act to establish a Special Representative to the Secretary General on Violence against Children (SRSG)." The role of the SRSG would be to " act as a high-profile global advocate to promote prevention and elimination of all violence against children". As the process stalls, children wait The UN General Assembly did not act on this recommendation in 2006, but requested the Secretary-General's independent expert, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, to submit to the 62nd session of the General Assembly a report on progress made and "to anticipate the necessary strategy for the implementation of the study." In May 2007, the NGO Advisory Council for follow up to the UN Study on Violence Against Children invited NGOs from around the world to sign a petition calling on UN member states to fully implement the Study's important recommendations, and calling on the UN to establish a Special Representative to the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children. The petition gathered over 1,000 signatures from around the world and was presented at the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly (GA) in October 2007. The 2007 GA Resolution on the rights of the child reaffirmed the NGO request, affirming the need for "the Secretary-General to appoint for a period of three years a Special Representative on violence against children, at the highest possible level" (58)1. The resolution was adopted on 18 December 2007 by a vote of 183 to 1. A loud silence Despite NGO pressure and the full force of a GA resolution, such a crucial appointment remains elusive. Children must wait. Throughout the process, the NGO Advisory Council and other NGOs made direct representation to the Secretary-General's office on matters relating to the appointment of the SRSG, including on the terms of reference, the location of the office of the SRSG and the level at which such a post was to be established. In May 2008, CRIN invited all signatories to the 2007 petition to write to the Secretary-General's office calling on him once again to establish the SRSG. Still no word. As the 63rd session of the UN GA gets underway, sources suggest that a number of candidates have been interviewed by a panel which included representatives of the SG's office, the Special Representative on children and armed conflict and UNICEF, who then proposed a short list of three for interview by the Secretary General. An announcement is said to be imminent. Meanwhile, the GA is currently debating this year's resolution on the rights of the child. A Draft resolution of the Third Committee includes strong language in relation to the SRSG's apointment - or lack thereof - expressing "deep concern about the delay in the appointment of a new Special Representative on violence against children, as requested by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/141, and requests the Secretary-General to fully comply with the request and to take urgent action to appoint, in accordance with the resolution, at the highest possible level and without delay, a Special Representative". No more excuses It is time for the Secretary-General to act. As Prof Pinheiro, once said "We should stop excusing ourselves and respond to the children's call for a world free from violence... there are no excuses for inaction. We should treat this as a matter of urgency. We must prove to our children that we fulfill our commitments if we expect them to do the same. And they should not have to wait until they are adults to confirm our commitment. The reality can and must change now." Further information: For more information, contact CRIN on [email protected] ______________________________________________________