Child Abuse and Neglect

The new global progress report for 2010 has been published jointly by the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children and Save the Children Sweden. Ending legalised violence against children: Global report 2010 reviews progress towards prohibition of corporal punishment of children throughout the world in the context of follow up to the UN Secretary General's Study on Violence against Children. It includes a major section on what it means to achieve law reform, and how to do it, as well as detailed information on law reform opportunities and active campaigns on the issue in all regions.

The Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse came into force on 1 July 2010. The first of its kind, this new instrument tackles all forms of sexual violence against children, including abuse perpetrated within the family environment. Apart from sexual abuse, child prostitution and pornography and coercing children into participating in pornographic performances, the convention also deals with grooming and sex tourism.

Child Well-Being Fund Ukraine launched the work of Virtual Resource Centre. On the website, in the Ukrainian language, may be found information concerning child abuse prevention, protection of child-witness, safety of children on-line, legislation and legal issues, researches, statistics and the list of counselling centres.

The symposium marking the tenth anniversary of the Child's World initiative will be held on 21st - 23rd October 2010 in Festspielhaus Bregenz, Austria. It will focus on best practice in various disciplines and stages of children's development and compare this with findings in the neurosciences, psycho-social sciences, children's rights and the economy.