A/HRC/34/45 71. In Africa, on the occasion of the commemoration by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the Special Representative, together with UNICEF and the African Child Policy Forum, presented a review of regional progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations study. The conference highlighted progress, challenges and opportunities to promote freedom from violence as part of wider efforts to achieve the African Union Agenda 2063 and the vision of building an Africa fit for its children. The outcomes of the discussion informed the development of Africa’s Agenda for Children 2040, formally adopted in November 2016, one of whose core goals is ending violence against children. 72. These developments provide significant impetus for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the African region. Africa’s Agenda for Children 2040 contains measurable goals and priority areas which the African Union and its member States commit to reach by 2040, and there are significant achievements to build upon. 73. Indeed, a number of countries in Africa are strengthening their national child protection systems and have undertaken comprehensive household surveys to document the magnitude, nature and impact of violence in childhood. Information from these surveys has supported government advocacy, policy, planning and budgeting as well as the enactment of legislation, including with a view to combating child marriage. Seven countries in Africa have completed surveys (Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Swaziland, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe), while others are pursuing similar efforts, including Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Rwanda and Uganda. 74. In February 2016, the Special Representative supported the launch of the results of the survey in Nigeria, conducted by the Government in cooperation with UNICEF and the Together for Girls partnership.15 Nigeria was the first country in West Africa to conduct a national survey on such a large scale. In response to its findings, the Year of Action to End Violence against Children was launched, along with a call to action to federal and state ministries and agencies, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, the media, communities, parents and children to join together to prevent and respond to violence against children. As a key contribution to this process, the Special Representative participated in the launch of the campaign and policy agenda to end violence against children in Lagos State; Cross River State launched its campaign to end violence against children on 16 June 2016, the second state in Nigeria to respond to the call to action. 16 75. In October 2016, in Malawi, the Special Representative promoted the further implementation of the policy agenda launched during her previous visit undertaken in response to the findings of the 2015 violence against children survey. During the follow-up visit, she paid special attention to the prevention and abandonment of harmful practices, helping to focus national attention on the prevalence of child marriage, abuse associated with sexual initiation ceremonies, attacks against children with albinism and other practices compromising the rights of children, particularly girls. 76. There has been progress on these issues in Malawi, including the adoption in 2015 of the Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act, which increased the minimum age of marriage to 18 years; the Government’s commitment, in November 2016, to align the Constitution with that legislation and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child;17 and the crucial role played by traditional leaders in mobilizing their communities to 15 16 17 16 See http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/story/2016-02-25_1431. See www.unicef.org/nigeria/media_10405.html. See www.constitutionnet.org/news/malawi-amend-constitution-regarding-age-child.