• International Policy Conference on the African Child (IPC)

The international community now acknowledges that violence against children is a serious problem and cause for concern. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as many as 40 million children under the age of 15 are victims of violence every year. In its resolution 56/138, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to conduct an in-depth study on the issue of violence against children, upon the recommendation of the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

In February 2003, the Secretary-General appointed an independent expert, Prof. Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, to direct the study. The report was to be based on available evidence, information and a series of regional consultations, and be carried out in collaboration with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and WHO.

The conference – Violence against Girls in Africa – organised by The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF), was designed to complement and enrich the study process. This conference adds the voices of African women, women activists and leaders, as well as policy-makers, human rights activists, African youth and prominent African figures, to the debate on preventing violence against girls in Africa.

The proceedings are informed by a conference report, testimonials, dialogue among the various stakeholders and a special forum for children and youth. A poll-based report on young African women’s experiences of violence against them was produced before the conference. The outcome of the conference was a declaration to be and policy makers used as a vehicle for campaigning with the African Union, African governments to develop effective policies and programmes to prevent violence against girls.