Rights of the Child - High-Level Symposium - 25 June 2018

On Monday 25 June 2018, the High Commissioner took part in a High-Level Symposium on the theme “Violence against Children in the Context of the Family and School”, at the invitation of Bernard Gastaud, member of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Principality of Monaco.

The programme covered not just maltreatment, but also “ordinary educational violence”, referring to the physical or psychological abuse commonly inflicted on children for disciplinary reasons or as punishment.

H.R.H Princess Caroline of Hanover, President of AMADE Mondiale (the Worldwide Association of Children's Friends), gave the opening address of the Symposium, which then began with a global presentation of the worldwide situation by Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the United National Secretary-General on Violence against Children.

The panel of expert speakers also included members of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Head of the Children’s Rights and Sports Values Department at the Council of Europe, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, the President of the International Observatory of Violence in School, and the Director of the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children.

The morning session was devoted to analysis of the design, application and review of strategies and programmes by the UN, the Council of Europe and UNICEF aimed at eradicating all forms of violence against children worldwide.

During the afternoon session, NGOs and professionals from a variety of sectors in contact with children shared their experiences, their perceptions of the issue of violence, and ways of preventing and tackling violence on the ground.

Anne EASTWOOD made the closing statements in the presence of H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover, remarking that the Symposium had “demonstrated to all of us that eradicating violence against children is the responsibility of everyone, starting with ourselves”.

To read the full speech, click here.