The need for a specific international mechanism to address violence against children

Date: MONDAY APRIL 9th, 2001
Time: 13 :00 - 15 :00
Venue: ROOM XXII, PALAIS DES NATIONS

The debate will be organised along three different streamlines:

1. The need for a new mechanism from a practical perspective.
Drawing from OMCT experience and from the experience of OMCT members the idea is to document that there are still state abuses and status abuses against children which are very seldom or insufficiently dealt with at the national level.

2. The need for a new international mechanism from a legal perspective.
Children's rights are likely to be more enforceable if individual violations would be investigated. Even from a mere legal point of view, there is a need to go beyond the reporting procedure to the CRC Committee.

3. The new mechanism and the international study on violence against children.
OMCT supports the recommendation by the Committee on the Rights of the Child to the General Assembly to ask to the Secretary-General to undertake a major international study on violence against children. The need for a new mechanism to address violence against children should be investigated along side and in connection with the international study.


Invited speakers include:

Judge Frank Orlando(ret) Director, DCI/International Network on Juvenile Justice, Geneva
Mr Rodrigo Stumpf González, National Coordinator, Movimento Nacional de Meninos e Meninas de Rua (MNMMR) - Brasil
Ms Françoise Tulkens, Judge of the European Court on Human Rights
Mr Paulo David, Secretariat of the Committee on the Rights of the Child
Mr Eric Sottas, Director of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)

Moderator: Ms Roberta Cecchetti, Children’s Programme Officer, World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)

English, French and Spanish interpretation
Refreshments served