Safe and child-sensitive counselling, complaint and reporting mechanisms to address violence against children

Safe and child-sensitive counselling, complaint and reporting mechanisms to address violence against children
From Foreword by SRSG on Violence against Children and Special Rapporteur on Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography
"Counselling, complaint and reporting mechanisms constitute critical remedies to address breaches of children’s rights, including violence in all its forms
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Their development is anchored in international human rights standards and, in view of their urgency, the Brazil Congress against the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents called on their establishment in all countries by 2013.
The need for safe, well-publicized, confidential and accessible mechanisms for children to report incidents of violence was also a serious area of concern addressed by the UN Study on Violence against Children. The Study recommended their establishment, including through telephone helplines which children can access to report abuse, speak to a trained counsellor in confidence, and ask for support and advice.
The Study underscored the need to make all children, including those in care and justice institutions, aware of the existence of complaint mechanisms and recommended that in every locality and every setting there should be well-publicized and easily accessible services to investigate reports of violence against children.
Based on information received from national governments and many other stakeholders, as well as research conducted, this report provides an overview of existing counseling, complaint and reporting mechanisms,drawing attention to positive developments and persisting challenges. (...)"