A/HRC/22/55 46. Second, a common feature has been the adoption of regional agendas for action 5 tailored to the specific reality of each region and designed to achieve specific goals and a progressive process of prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against children. 47. Third, in most cases regional frameworks identified a mechanism for monitoring and reviewing progress. Through periodic meetings, this process has helped keep the protection of children from violence high on the agenda, address common concerns and emerging questions and stimulate incremental change. This process has led to significant initiatives, including the ratification of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the enactment and enforcement of legislation to ban all forms of violence against children, the development of national integrated strategies and independent institutions and the mobilization of support to address specific manifestations of violence. 48. Regional agendas have at times identified additional specific priorities. For example, in SAIEVAC particular emphasis was placed on early marriage, sexual abuse and exploitation, child labour and trafficking, while in the Americas a special emphasis was placed on sexual abuse, juvenile justice and armed violence. 49. While forging an enhanced process of cooperation within regions to translate political commitments and strategies into tangible progress, these partnerships have also opened avenues for strengthening cooperation between regions, including South-South cooperation. This process was launched at the High-Level Round Table with regional organizations and institutions, hosted by the Special Representative, in 2011.6 50. Cross-regional cooperation prepares the ground for cross-fertilization of national and regional experiences and sharing of good practices and lessons learned. It also provides a foundation for building a culture of respect for children’s rights and their protection from violence and strengthening cooperation with key stakeholders and allies. One tangible outcome of this process has been the development of an information hub to support knowledge-sharing and facilitate access to information on the process of follow-up to the Study. 51. During the General Assembly in 2012, the Special Representative organized a follow-up round table with representatives from South and Central America and the Caribbean. The meeting included the participation of young advocates representing networks of children and adolescents in the region and was marked by the launch of the regional analytical mappings conducted in South and Central America and the childfriendly version of the South American roadmap. 52. Participating Governments and regional institutions decided to establish, under the auspices of the Special Representative, a Latin America and Caribbean task force which will meet annually and promote initiatives to accelerate progress in children’s protection from violence. Moreover, they expressed their commitment to promoting the inclusion of the protection of children from violence in the global development agenda beyond 2015. 5 6 12 In SAIEVAC, this has taken the form of a workplan for the period 2010–2015. In the Council of Europe, follow-up action is based on the Policy guidelines on integrated national strategies for the protection of children from violence. In the Mercosur/Nin@sur region, a regional Roadmap to contribute to the realization of the right of all boys, girls and adolescents to protection against all forms of violence in South America, complemented by national roadmaps, forms the basis for cooperation. A joint statement following the round table is available from http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/documents/docs/Joint_statement_regional_ organizations_and_institutions_working_on_violence_against_children.pdf (accessed on 31 December 2012).