The 21-22 June 2017 Africa Expert Consultation on Violence against Children (VAC) in All Care Settings was the second in a series of regional consultations focused on engaging experts to collaborate, share learning, and formulate a set of regional recommendations and an action plan for key actors to effectively address violence against children within all care settings, especially within alternative care.
In this video message, Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on Violence against Children, offers her keynote address for the June 2017 Africa Expert Consultation, highlighting the urgent issues pertaining to violence against children in alternative care, or those at risk of entering care. SRSG Pais identifies four key points in her message:
- Implement national policies which explicitly ban violence against children in all settings and establish effective mechanisms to address incidents of violence when they occur.
- Invest in prevention, awareness raising, and research to break the invisibility and discrimination of children without appropriate family care.
- Support families on positive parenting and ensure their access to child-sensitive and effective services which assist them in their childrearing duties.
- Ensure children have a voice and are active participants in the issues that affect them.