About SAF (South Asian Forum for Ending Violence against Children)
How SAF was formed
In 2001, based on the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations General Assembly called for a global study on violence against children. The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, appointed Independent Expert Paulo Sergio Pinheiro to lead the study. Drawing together existing research and relevant information about the forms, caused and impact of violence against children and young people (up to 18 years), Paulo Sergio Pinheiro’s report, when presented to the UN General Assembly in October 2006, will call for the prohibition of all forms of violence against children, both physical, psychological, and other forms of degrading punishment and treatment.
Regional Consultations Children and young people participated actively in the nine Regional Consultations which formed part of this study. One of the consultations was held in Islamabad in May 2005 where delegates comprising of ministers, senior government officials, SAARC Secretariat member, representatives from civil society, NGOs, UN agencies, the UN Study Secretariat, bilateral agencies, experts and resource persons, children and young people, the media and opinion formers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka came together.
The consultation aimed at reviewing the situation of violence against children in the South Asia Region, including an analysis of the legal frameworks and good practises, and put forward a number of recommendations for action at regional level.
One of the major outcomes of the Regional Consultation was the formation of the “South Asia Forum for Ending Violence Against Children”, comprising representatives from the governments of the eight regional countries. The South Asia Forum was tasked with monitoring governments’ commitments and follow up actions regarding ending violence against children. The South Asia Coordinating Group on Action Against Violence (SACG) was requested to provide technical and financial support.
Regional Secretariat The Regional Consultation also decided a Regional Secretariat should be formed for the South Asia Forum (SAF). The first holder of the Secretariat is Pakistan, host to the Regional Consultation. The Secretariat is to be rotated within the eight regional countries every two years.
About the first South Asian Forum 2.
With the Government of Pakistan holding the Secretariat of SAF, the first South Asia Forum was held in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on 24-26 July 2006. (please go to end of message for 2nd Annual SAF Regional Meeting)
The Themes
Two themes were chosen for the first SAF which were :
Physical and psychological punishment in homes, schools, the community, the workplace and in institutions.
Early marriage: marriage when one or both parties are children below the age of 18.
Objectives of the First SAF
Four key objectives were set before the delegates at the first South Asia Forum. They were :
To review the progress made by the Member States in the areas of physical and psychological punishment and early marriage, with trafficking in humans as a cross cutting theme.
To identify a key number of actions for follow up at regional level.
To agree and finalise the structural and operational mechanism of SAF, including networking and reporting tasks.
To promote children's participation and listen to their voice on the issue
of child marriage and physical and psychological punishment, as well as
institutionalize their participation in the South Asia Forum.
About the 2nd Annual SAF Regional Preparatory Consultation
This 2nd SAF Regional Consultation, was held in Kathmandu 27-29t August 2008, and was hosted by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, Government of Nepal, in close collaboration with the South Asia Coordinating Group against Violence against Children (SACG).These two regional forums, the SAF and the SACG, are working to prepare the South Asia region for the World Congress III against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents, which will be hosted by the Government of Brazil, from 25 to 28 November 2008, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This SAF Consultation was one of five regional preparatory meetings being organized worldwide. The SAF Preparatory Consultation brought together Government officials, representatives of the United Nations family, non-governmental and civil society organizations, private sector, children and young people.
Objectives:
The specific objectives of the regional SAF consultation were to:
To provide a common understanding and comprehensive overview on SAF/SACG priority issues for the region and their linkages to sexual exploitation of children and adolescents;
To report on regional progress and challenges;
To increase key stakeholders' capacity in addressing these issues;
To formulate time-bound goals and targets which will be related to the countries' commitments and actions in the region and forwarded to the World Congress III.
To provide a platform for children to input into the themes of the Regional Congress and the WC III.
The conference addressed these objectives from the perspectives of national and regional actions taken in response to the issues of sexual exploitation.
Outcomes:
The SAF regional preparatory consultation for the World Congress III had the following outcomes:
Identified recommended approaches and commitments for strengthening national and regional capabilities in addressing sexual exploitation of children and adolescents;
Reinforced and renewed agreements among various partners in the region on required actions and ways to confront sexual exploitation that are based on children's rights.
Generated mobilization among key partners, including children and adolescents, for the World Congress III and its follow-up to enhance support for children victims of sexual exploitation.
The regional preparatory consultation and conclusions, reflecting the above outcomes, will be published and shared with everyone. Recommendations will be sent to the World Congress III against sexual exploitation of children and adolescents to be held in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) from 25-28 November.
The key themes of the SAF Regional Consultation were:
Forms of commercial sexual exploitation and its new dimension
Legal framework, accountability and law enforcement
Holistic Integrated Inter-Sectoral Policies
Strategies and goals for Regional and International Cooperation
Within this framework, selected priority issues to South Asia were examined:
Regional Overview on Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse;
Child trafficking for sexual purposes;
Physical and psychological punishment and its linkages to sexual exploitation;
