A/HRC/37/48 regional partners. Six regional monitoring reports have been issued, and periodic review meetings held to sustain and accelerate progress. 74. As a result, regional political commitments and implementation road maps have been adopted (see A/HRC/19/64), and a new generation of regional plans on violence against children is being developed, aligned with the 2030 Agenda. In turn, these efforts have translated into the strengthening of national legislation and public policies, the consolidation of data and research, and the promotion of public campaigns. 75. To promote this process further, the Special Representative organizes an annual, high-level cross-regional round table with regional organizations and institutions. This forum has become a strategic mechanism within the United Nations system to engage in policy dialogue, to share knowledge and good practices, to identify trends and pressing challenges, and to join forces to strengthen children’s protection. 76. In June 2017, the Special Representative co-hosted the seventh annual cross-regional round table with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The round table was devoted to placing children at the heart of the 2030 Agenda and to addressing the role of regional organizations in accelerating progress towards the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals on children’s protection from violence. 77. Guided by the theme of the high-level political forum on sustainable development, representatives from regional organizations shared experiences and good practices addressing the multifaceted nature of deprivation, and violence against children. Notable initiatives included promoting access to universal, inclusive and child-sensitive basic social services of quality; cross-sectoral cooperation and integrated services in violence prevention; investing in early childhood care; ensuring effective family support and social protection measures; and promoting the social inclusion of those left behind. 78. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to use the opportunity provided by the high-level political forum and the development of voluntary national reviews to accelerate progress towards the elimination of all forms of violence against children. They highlighted the importance of mobilizing adequate national resources and ODA to support violence prevention and response initiatives, and of strengthening data systems to inform decisions and monitor and sustain progress. 79. Participants also recognized the critical role of children as agents of change, and the importance of undertaking action informed by children’s views and experiences. In this spirit, an ASEAN Children’s Forum was held alongside the meeting, creating an opportunity for a strategic engagement with young people from the region. These discussions placed a special emphasis on children’s empowerment and participation to prevent and address incidents of violence, and on the risks associated with bullying and online abuse. 80. Young participants also emphasized the importance of enjoying a loving and supportive environment, and called for awareness-raising and information-sharing initiatives to enable young people to become empowered citizens, to identify risks, to report incidents and to seek help from child-sensitive services. They called for urgent government action, including effective laws, policies and budgets; good parenting and early childhood development initiatives; training for professionals working with children; and genuine opportunities and platforms for open discussions with young people. As children highlighted, “everyone has a role to play, and if we are willing to end violence against children, we can make the world a better place!” 81. In 2018, the Special Representative will co-host the cross-regional meeting with the South Asia Initiative to End Violence against Children (see para. 75 above), an intergovernmental body of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. 13