Publications

In-depth research (and even official statistics) covering all forms of violence experienced by children is available for very few countries. Many forms of violence are suffered by children across Europe, but country specific data is critical to determine the extent to which states are meeting their human rights obligations to protect children effectively from all forms of violence, and for the proper development of child protection and preventive services and the targeting of resources to where they are most needed. This review is not exhaustive, but it nevertheless highlights a number of problematic features of the available research which impede the construction of any accurate national or regional assessment of violent victimisation of children.

The study reviews the legislation concerning the rights of children adopted by 52 States Parties since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. With the goal of providing an overview of the scope and content of new legislation adopted since 1989, the report covers 18 of the general principles and rights contained in the Convention. Three subjects that deserve further investigation are identified: the process of law reform, its place as part of a broad child rights strategy, and the actual impact of legislation of this kind on children.

This study sets out to better understand the extent to which commitments made by States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child have led to the adoption of concrete measures to improve the rights of children; the extent to which these measures have had a real impact on the lives of children; progress made so far; and the most important challenges faced and the priorities for the years ahead, based on a collective experience of 18 years of striving to implement the Convention and the social, economic, scientific and political changes that have occurred during this time.