Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: Following the presentation of the UN Study on Violence Against Children in New York in October, a draft Resolution on the Rights of the Child was tabled, which includes a section on children and violence.
Section of the Resolution of the General Assembly on the Rights of the Child dealing with Violence against children - UN General Assembly, 61st Session, Third Committee, Agenda item 63 (a), A/c.3/61/L.16
13. Welcomes the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the independent expert for the United Nations study on violence against children17 and the participatory process through which the report was prepared, takes fully into account its recommendations, and encourages Member States and requests United Nations entities, regional entities and civil society to widely disseminate and follow
up on the study;
14. Condemns, and urges States to prohibit, all forms of violence against children, including physical, mental and sexual violence, torture, child abuse and exploitation, hostage-taking, domestic violence, trafficking in or sale of children and their organs, paedophilia, child prostitution, child pornography, child sex tourism, gang-related violence and harmful traditional practices in all settings, including the home, schools and other educational settings and institutions through care and justice systems;
15. Condemns the abduction of children, in particular extortive abduction and abduction of children in situations of armed conflict, including for the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts, and urges States to take all appropriate measures to secure their unconditional release, rehabilitation, reintegration and reunification with their families;
16. Urges States:
(a) To strengthen efforts to prevent and protect children from all forms of violence through a comprehensive approach and to develop a multifaceted andsystematic framework to respond to violence against children which is integratedinto national planning processes;
(b) To strive to transform attitudes that condone or normalize any form of violence against children;
(c) To end impunity for perpetrators of crimes against children, investigate and prosecute all acts of violence and impose appropriate penalties;
(d) To protect children from all forms of violence or abuse by government officials, such as the police, law enforcement authorities and employees and officials in detention centres or welfare institutions;
(e) To take measures to protect children from all forms of violence or abuse in schools, to promote constructive and positive forms of discipline and child development approaches and to establish complaint mechanisms that are age- and gender-appropriate and accessible to children, taking into account children’s evolving capacities and the importance of respecting their views;
(f) To ensure that all those who work with and for children protect children from bullying and implement preventive and anti-bullying policies;
(g) To address the gender dimension of all forms of violence against children and incorporate a gender perspective in all policies adopted and actions taken to protect children against all forms of violence;
(h) To strengthen international cooperation and mutual assistance to prevent and protect children from all forms of violence and to end impunity for crimes against children;
17. Recognizes the contribution of the International Criminal Court in ending impunity for the most serious crimes against children, including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, and calls upon States not to grant amnesties for such crimes;
18. Calls upon the relevant organizations of the United Nations system, in particular the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization, to explore ways and means, within their respective mandates, by which they can contribute more effectively to addressing the need to prevent and to respond to all forms of violence against children.
Further information:
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