World Report on Violence Against Children

The key message of the report of the The United Nations Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against Children is that no violence against children is justifiable and that all violence against children is preventable. If its underlying causes are identified and addressed, violence against children is entirely preventable. The Study analyses violence against children in five settings: the home and family; schools and educational settings; care and justice institutions; the work-place; and the community. It contains 12 over-arching recommendations that represent a comprehensive framework for follow-up action. The study was guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child which emphasises children’s rights to physical and personal integrity, and outlines States parties obligations to protect them from “all forms of physical or mental violence”, including sexual and other forms of exploitation, abduction, armed conflict, and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It also obliges the State to enact preventive measures and ensure that all child victims of violence receive the support and assistance they require. This is the first time that an attempt is made to document the reality of violence against children around the world, and to map out what is being done to stop it. The contents of this book are aimed at a wide global audience.