A/HRC/16/54 (c) Tunisia. In July 2010, the Parliament passed Law No. 2010-40, amending article 319 of the Penal Code and prohibiting the use of all forms of corporal punishment in child-rearing. 16. Around the globe, law reform for children’s protection from violence is gaining momentum. When the United Nations study was finalized, only 16 countries had legislation prohibiting violence in all settings, including corporal punishment in the home. Currently, 29 countries have introduced such a comprehensive legal ban. In all regions, legislative reform initiatives are under way to achieve full prohibition, and in several other countries, new legislation is under review to prohibit violence in specific settings. In some cases, a monitoring system has been developed to advance implementation. In countries where harmful practices persist behind deeply entrenched traditions,5 the legislative process has provided opportunities to involve community and religious leaders, parliamentarians, professional associations, academic institutions and grass-roots organizations, and to engage communities concerned to promote change from within and consolidate prevention efforts. 17. Recent regional commitments have underscored the importance of law enactment and enforcement in safeguarding children’s rights to freedom from violence. For instance, this area has been identified as a high priority by the South Asian Initiative to End Violence against Children, the Council of Europe and in the Cairo Declaration adopted by OIC Member States (see paragraphs 8–11 above). 18. Similarly, the Beijing Declaration on South-South Cooperation for Child Rights, adopted in November 2010 by Governments in the Asia-Pacific region, emphasized the need to address child protection concerns based on laws that focus on safeguarding children from potential harm and banning all forms of violence against children. At the Fourth Highlevel Arab Conference on the Rights of the Child, held in Marrakesh in December 2010, the determination to enforce legislation and promulgate laws to protect children from all forms of violence, exploitation, neglect and ill-treatment was voiced. 19. As noted in previous reports, this dimension has been emphasized equally by the Pan American Child Congress, the Ibero-American Conference of Ministers and Authorities Responsible for Children, and the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. It was given centre stage in the work of other strategic partners too, including parliamentarians and religious leaders (see box below), as well as national independent human rights institutions.6 Commitment to Eliminate Violence against Children, International Executive Committee of Religions for Peace, November 2010 “We advocate for the adoption of national strategies and legislation on the ban of violence against children, accompanied by budget allocations to fund prevention strategies, and the protection, recovery and reintegration of child victims. We urge governments to establish appropriate mechanisms for the effective implementation of these laws. We also seek the assurance that religious communities are enabled to participate formally in these mechanisms. Our religious communities are ready to serve as monitors of implementation, making use of national and international bodies to maintain accountability.” 5 6 6 Such as female genital mutilation, early marriage and accusing children of witchcraft. See European Network of Ombuds for Children position papers on violence against children at http://www.crin.org/enoc/papers/index.asp. GE.11-11445