SRSG welcomes landmark decision by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to develop model strategies for the elimination of violence against children in crime prevention and criminal justice

New York, 29 April 2013 - Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children Marta Santos Pais welcomed the adoption by the 23rd session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice of a resolution calling for model strategies and practical measures on the elimination of violence against children in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.

The resolution builds upon the joint report issued in 2012 by the Special Representative, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on prevention of and responses to violence against children within the juvenile justice system.

As called for by the resolution, the model strategies will be developed by an open-ended intergovernmental expert group, in collaboration with all relevant United Nations entities, including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children.

“This important decision by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice opens the way for developing concrete tools for Member States to promote a justice system for children and address the many incidents of violence children face when involved with the criminal justice system” Ms Santos Pais said. “Around the world, millions of children end up in detention simply because child protection institutions are not in place! Children are still too often deprived of liberty because they have been abandoned or are living on the streets, are awaiting trial for long periods of time, or accused of minor offences. When arrested, detained in police detention centers, imprisoned in overcrowded facilities or sentenced to inhuman sentencing, they are exposed to serious forms of violence.”

“In some countries, violent forms of sentencing such as flogging, stoning, amputation and capital punishment remain condoned by law. Model strategies will help countries to develop justice systems that are protective and respectful of the rights of the child and eliminate children’s vulnerability to violence. I look forward to collaborating closely with the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, UNODC, OHCHR and other partners in the development of these important standards" Ms Santos Pais added.