A/HRC/19/64 African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, Special Session on Violence against Children Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, March 2010 Special Session on Violence against Children Statement “violence against children: Report on progress and challenges” by Dr Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, on violence against children 1. The Report statement was presented by the Representative of UNICEF Liaison Office to the AUC on behalf of the UN SRSG who was unable to attend due to other commitments. 2. The UNSRSG mentioned that the Committee‘s debate was a golden opportunity to lay down a strategic agenda for achieving progress in preventing and combating violence against children within the African region. 3. She further mentioned that the UNSRSG mandate was framed by the UN study on Violence against Children and its strategic recommendations. 4. The UNSRSG mentioned the following as their priority focus areas: • Promoting a Strategic Agenda derived from twelve overarching recommendations of the UN Study on Violence • The development in each state of a national comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, • Consolidating Strategic Partnership with certain identified alliances in favour of the protection of children from all forms of violence. 5. Concerning cooperating with key partners, she mentioned the following: • Cooperation with intergovernmental and regional organisation and institutions. • Cooperation with UN and regional human rights treaty bodies and mechanisms as well as with civil society organisations 6. In conclusion, the UNSRSG suggested in the message strategic ways for promoting the Committee‘s work, namely: • Development of a strategic agenda of collaboration with the ACERWC to help consolidate an African environment fit for children where violence has no place; • ACERWC should provide monitoring that focuses on the protection of children from all forms of violence; • Collaboration in an advocacy campaign to call for explicit legal ban on all forms of violence against children, including corporal punishment; • Collaboration with key partners (UNICEF and ACPF) to promote the development of an African report on national follow-up to the recommendation of the UN Study on Violence against Children. • Presentation on ―violence against children in Africa: the Challenges and priorities for Africa‖ by the African Child Policy Forum 65