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Summary: Statement delivered at the 10th session of the Human Rights Council on the day dedicated to the rights of the child.
Human Rights Council – 10th session (March 2009)
Annual Full Day Meeting on the Rights of the Child
Violence against Children – morning panel
Mr President,
It has now been over 2 years since the UN Study on VAC was completed and presented to the GA and to this Council unveiling the horrific scale of violence that children suffer every day in every part of the world.
While there is often a justified and due outrage against extreme forms of violence such as sexual exploitation of children or the recruitment and use of child soldiers, the ongoing violence that children suffer everyday in private spheres like homes and families still needs to receive the same level of condemnation and commitment for it to stop and to be prevented.
VAC in the family can take different forms such as sexual violence, homicide, corporal punishment, neglect, child marriage, harmful traditional practices, and psychological violence, to name a few.
These forms of violence are perpetrated by parents, family members, and guardians, in other words the children’s primary care-givers. These are violations of child rights and call for responsibility of the state to act to prevent, respond and redress them as a matter of urgency.
They also call on the governments to set up mechanisms that allow children to speak up, in confidence and trust and to receive social, psychological and legal assistance.
All these recommendations have been collected in the UN Study on VAC and are awaiting implementation.
The HRC, and its predecessor body, has played a key role in the UN Study process – it called for the appointment of an independent expert to carry it out and received interim reports and the world report in March 2006.
In 2007 the GA requested the appointment of a Special Representative of the SG to follow-up the UN Study recommendations, but as of today the appointment has not been made. This represents an unjustifiable loss of momentum for prompt actions.
OHCHR and UNICEF were amongst the UN entities that strongly supported the UN Study and which committed to its follow-up. Save the Children would like to hear what their respective plans are to continue to provide support to the SRSG when appointed.
We also would like to ask to Ms Jahangir what the plans are to fully include the new SRSG within the coordinating structures of the Special Procedures, and plan joint activities such as country visits and joint reports.
I thank you, Mr. President