A/HRC/16/56 bridge between communities and service providers, and help promote change in social attitudes that condone violence and hamper children’s rights. 43. Several countries produce child-friendly materials to help children submit complaints and seek redress, including on available judicial or non-judicial complaint mechanisms and applicable proceedings. 44. Some countries reported having special complaints procedures for children. Many have established an independent child advocate, ombudsman or commission responsible for representing children’s rights, interests and viewpoints; in some cases, these institutions are competent to investigate complaints of child rights violations, to provide victims with redress, and to identify ex officio relevant areas of concern which they can pursue with competent authorities. Other measures include the establishment of children’s courts and special police brigades, as well as legal safeguards to extend the age for submitting complaints and compensation claims beyond 18 years. 45. Replies from countries reveal, however, that very few have evaluated the childfriendliness of complaints and reporting procedures. This is an area where continued efforts should be pursued. (d) Complaint procedures at the international level 46. In conformity with relevant human rights standards, complaint mechanisms have also been established at the international34 and regional35 levels. At present, an open-ended working group of the Human Rights Council is considering an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to establish a communications procedure. 47. Other human rights bodies and mechanisms, including special procedures, can receive allegations of children’s rights violations falling within their mandate. In practice, submissions are virtually never received from children themselves. 3. Reporting mechanisms (a) Mandatory reporting 48. Education on the rights of the child and knowledge about how and to whom violence can be reported are essential dimensions of an effective reporting system which should be child sensitive, supported by effective and well-resourced services and respectful of children’s rights. 49. In its general comment No. 13, the Committee on the Rights of the Child stresses that in every country the reporting of instances, suspicion or risk of violence should, at a minimum, be required by professionals working directly with children. When reports are made in good faith, processes must be in place to ensure the protection of the professional making the report. 34 35 12 For example, article 77 of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, and the Optional Protocols to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. For example, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the European Committee of Social Rights and the European Court of Human Rights.