A/HRC/28/34 Rights Council to be more involved in current and future efforts in this area, and for it to be a matter of priority in the post-2015 development agenda. D. Empowerment of children 31. The importance of empowering children in ending violence against them was discussed by many delegations. Children should be made aware of their rights and have access to mechanisms to protect themselves. Impunity against perpetrators of violence against children should be combated, and independent, and child-friendly complaint mechanisms should be established. 32. Some delegations pointed out the positive effect of developing and deploying suitable methods for implanting the child’s right to be heard in processes, which were crucial for their lives and well-being. The need for standardized, child-friendly hearing procedures was also stressed, as was the need to effectively listen to children, provide anonymous and confidential reporting and work with them to identify and apply solutions to eradicate violence. 33. Helplines and interactive webpages were mentioned as examples of good practice to provide children with information on their rights, the ability to report abuse and to offer professional help and support. E. Children in situations of particular risk 34. Various delegations referred to children in situations of particular risk of violence. These included children in areas of conflict, which could expose children to the risk of kidnapping, trafficking, torture or death, as well as the deprivation of medical care. Children in street situations were also mentioned by several States, which had put in place programmes to assist them. The commercialization of witch-hunting, exorcisms and deliverances was also raised as a concern, with one delegation reporting that it had contributed to the spread of violence against children in many communities, which in turn undermined broader efforts to combat violence against children. 35. Children deprived of their liberty were also mentioned as being at a higher risk of violence than others. Children deprived of their liberty were particularly vulnerable to physical, psychological and sexual violence. The need to ensure effective monitoring and regular access to justice institutions by independent bodies empowered to conduct unannounced visits, and interviews with children and staff, was raised. Serious concern in relation to the ongoing trend of inhuman sentences for crimes committed by individuals under the age of 18 years was expressed, including the death penalty and life imprisonment, as well as cases of juvenile torture and ill-treatment of children in police custody. V. Concluding remarks and recommendations 36. In her concluding remarks and responses to the discussion, Dr. Hadj Salah emphasized that violence against children was a pressing issue throughout the world, and prevention was a key to its elimination. It was important to mobilize all stakeholders, including national and international entities, to assess the extent of the problem in order to decide how to address it. Legal instruments were crucial to ending violence and alleviating the consequences, while there was also a need to build a culture of non-violence. In relation to violence at school, teachers had to be made aware of the seriousness of corporal punishment and the effect of humiliation as a 9