A/HRC/19/64 examples of best practice and lessons learned featured in country panel presentations and supporting papers on South-South cooperation for child rights. 10. We affirm that these consultations in Beijing, in addition to providing a platform for sharing best practices and lessons learned on child rights among countries of the Asia Pacific region, also represent a starting point in considering new opportunities for SouthSouth exchanges to advance child rights for mutual gains. Drawing on the examples highlighted during the High-Level Meeting, we commit to pursue new opportunities for South-South cooperation in the Asia Pacific region to advance child rights. Child Protection and Child Welfare in the Asia Pacific Region 11. We note with concern that, despite the efforts of governments across the region to take concrete steps to ensure the protection of children, children in the Asia Pacific Region continue to face serious child protection challenges, including violence and abuse, child trafficking, corporal punishment, child pornography, neglect, early marriage, rigorous imprisonment, child labour and exploitation and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS. 12. We recognize that the challenges in developing a comprehensive child protection and child welfare system are significant, and note the growing body of evidence which highlights not only the impact of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect on the individual child‘s development and capacities, but also the longer-term costs of such impacts to the socio-economic development of society as a whole. 13. We recognize the need to pursue an approach that is focused primarily on prevention in the first instance and which ensures sustainability, cost efficiency and effectiveness. We advocate that such a systematic approach to addressing child protection concerns should be based on laws and policies that focus on safeguarding children from potential harm, and banning all forms of violence against children, would form the foundation of a national child protection system. We also recognize the value of maintaining the positive aspects of safety nets for children offered by our traditions of communities and extended families. 14. We therefore commit to building and strengthening adequately-resourced national child protection and welfare systems and mechanisms which include the prevention of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, the establishment of timely and appropriate responses where protection concerns arise, and mitigation of the impact of such concerns on the lives of children and their families. We agree that building and strengthening a national child protection system is an area where there is considerable scope for countries to learn from each other, not only in developing the legislative and policy framework, but also in terms of implementation and enforcement. Achieving MDGs with Equity: Country Experiences in the Asia Pacific Region 15. We acknowledge that, while countries across the Asia Pacific region have made significant economic progress over the past two decades, serious and greater efforts are required to ensure that the poorest and most vulnerable children benefit from this progress. We note with concern that national progress on the MDGs is undermined by persisting and growing disparities. Policies and legislation to address these disparities across MDG indicators are urgently needed, and strategies such as geographic and pro-poor focus must be employed. 16. We note the findings of the September 2010 UNICEF global studies Narrowing the Gaps to Meet the Goals and Progress for Children: Achieving the MDGs with Equity that 61