www.una-connecticut.org

1. Amaya Gillespie, Director of the Study, formerly with UNICEF.
Our Study is based in Geneva. Our core issue: we reject the romantic illusion that violence in childhood is normal. Violence against children is never normal! Our strategy is: 1. We work in partnership with other organizations. 2. We have given all UN member states questionnaires; 125 have responded. 3. We have more than 250 public submissions, more than 2000 existing reports, etc. 4. More than 250 children have participated in 9 regional consultations fed into by national consultations. 5. We have expert thematic research in 5 core areas: home and family, schools, institutions and care-giving agencies, community, and work-place. We also consider gender-based, sexual, and disability issues and cut across areas. Nine regional outcome reports include declarations, recommendations, and follow-up; they cover all countries north and south irrespective of poor or rich - all nations have child abuse problems and can share strategies. We are grateful to governments which have hosted consultations and to UNICEF, the Office of the High Commission on Refugees, etc.. The children's dynamic declarations and recommendations are included in regular consultations: for example, Middle Eastern and North African children collectively declared that "Violence is Wrong!"

Many people don't know children's rights or the Convention on the Rights of the Child. By November, 2006, the S-G's Report will be ready and will go through the GA process and be made into a more elaborate publication. Children will continue to be brought together to give more specific examples of violence. "Children can see things adults can't see." The success of the Study will come through long partnership. Momentum and the development of action will be kept going long after the Report is finished.

2. H.E. Roman Kirn, Permanent Representative of Slovenis to the UN.
60 countries from Europe and Central Asia participated in our conference in Slovenia. We had 3 goals: to provide information, to foster political commitment, and to produce an agenda for action: for curbing violence at home, in institutions, in schools, and in the community. The major outcome was in areas of action: recognizing problems, sharing experiences, reviewing the basic framework of the CRC, developing national action plans, the need for political support and the support of the media.

3. Mali Nilssun, Member of the International Save the Children Task Groups on Violence against Children.
STC has given priority all over the world to the reality of violence every day, everywhere, and there is the ethical and meaningful participation of children and the emphasis on human rights. All societies must recognize violence and take action. Children's participation in the Study is non-discriminatory - there is gender equality; in many cases, girls and boys suffer different forms of violence. Children can be in conflict with the law, sexually abused, suffer humiliating physical and/or emotional violence, etc. The past can be healed, and self-confidence can be enhanced. Cooperation and rewards are better than punishment. Education and various programs encourage children to take action and form their own organizations.

Answers to Questions: Look up all 9 consultations on the Internet under www.UN.org. We still haven't had time to study systematically the material across all 9 areas. We're also working with the WRCP and indigenous groups. The issue of youth on youth (peer) violence is considered very important. So far, it appears that the impact of media violence is relatively small. (??) Children learn violence but are not taught non-violence. NGOs are welcome to participate in the Study. All expertise is
needed.