UN Study on Violence Against Children

Background Information

Children throughout the world are at risk of violence in nearly every aspect of their lives - in their homes, in schools, on the street, at work, in institutions and in detention. In many cases, they are beaten, tortured, sexually assaulted or even murdered by the very individuals responsible for their care. In response to this global issue, in November of 2001 the UN General-Assembly requested the Secretary General to conduct an in-depth study on violence against children. This request followed a recommendation for such a study from the Committee on the Rights of the Child, based on two days of general discussion on violence against children held in 2000 and 2001.

The Committee stated that the study should be as "thorough and influential" as the groundbreaking 1996 study on the Impact of Armed Conflicts on Children conducted by Mrs. Graça Machel. In December 2002, the UN Secretary-General appointed Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro as the independent expert to conduct the study.

The Study

The study, rooted in children's right to protection from all forms of violence, aims to promote action to prevent and eliminate violence against children at international, regional, national and local levels and encourage positive action and attitutes. The study is a United Nations-led collaboration, to draw together existing research and relevant information about the forms, causes and impact of violence affecting children and young people (up to the age of 18 years). The final report will be submitted to the UN General Assembly in 2006.

The Committee recommended that the study should cover violence against children within the family and in the home, in schools, in care or residential institutions both State and private, in work situations, in the streets, in detention facilities and prisons, and also examine violence by police and the use of capital and physical punishment.

The Committee recommended that violence should include all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, including sexual abuse, bullying in schools, and corporal punishment.

Nine regional consultations will pull together regional information on violence against children in four different settings where violence occurs (the home, the community, the school and state institutions). These will articulate the agenda for action and contribute recommendations to the study.

A partnership

UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have formed a partnership to support the study. Other UN and UN-related bodies are also involved in the study's preparation.

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