A/HRC/16/56 as police, magistrates, district- and national-level committees, and social services and education officials. Many also networked with elements in non-formal systems, such as traditional justice mechanisms.49 76. Lessons identified in other studies include the need to secure the sustainability of these efforts by encouraging community “ownership”, and to avoid interventions that may inadvertently stigmatize victims. Cooperation between community-based organizations and governmental agencies, in the form of training, clear definition of roles, coaching, case review and monitoring, can help reduce the risk of inappropriate interventions. Communitybased organizations can help monitor complaint mechanisms, to ensure that they are childsensitive and effective. The participation of children themselves can help ensure that services, in particular outreach to make victims aware of complaints mechanisms and services, are more effective.50 77. The cooperation of civil society with government can take many forms. One important lesson is that community-based child protection groups should act in association with the national child protection system where it exists, rather than become a parallel structure. 6. Child helplines 78. Dedicated telephone numbers that can be called anonymously and at no cost to seek advice about incidents of violence have been established in many countries throughout the world. Helplines can be used by victims, by other persons who know of or suspect violence, and even by persons who commit violence and wish to seek help. 79. Some are specialized in specific types of violence (for example sexual violence, domestic violence, or all violence against children), while others deal with a wide range of concerns. Some are provided by NGOs and others by governmental agencies.51 80. Some helplines convey information and advice about where to turn and what the authorities can do. Others provide informal emergency psychological support. Still others can forward information transmitted by the caller to those responsible for taking action. 81. Services are starting to use new technologies, such as the Internet or text messages (SMS). In Switzerland, for example, each day some 400 children are given advice by SMS and some 1,000 receive on-line advice.52 In 2010, Austria, Germany and Switzerland opened an Internet service allowing the public to report suspected cases of sexual exploitation of children in tourism.53 Canada has a website for reporting Internet child pornography.54 82. According to Child Helpline International, representing helplines from over 100 countries, violence is one of the main reasons for which children contact helplines. In its 2010 International Report on Violence against Children, the organization recorded more 49 50 51 52 53 54 Inter-agency Reference Group, What Are We Learning about Protecting Children in The Community? An Inter-agency Review of Evidence on Community-based Child Protection Mechanisms (London, Save the Children, 2009). E. Jareg, Listening, Learning, Acting: Preventing and Responding to Violence against Children in Homes and Communities (Kathmandu, Save the Children, 2008), chaps. 4-5. For example, in Mauritius, the hotlines are provided by the police and the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, while in Switzerland they are provided by the foundation Pro Juventute. Government of Switzerland. Government of Austria. The service is based on a tool developed by the NGO ECPAT International. Government of Canada. 17