ABSTRACT
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child established CRC General Comment 13 (April
2011) to address today’s unabating high rates of violence against children globally despite
CRC advances. GC13 provides clear interpretations and stronger detail to supplement the
legal language of CRC Article 19, intended to establish protection of children from all forms
of violence. Through GC13, the Committee seeks to strengthen policy and practice implementation
for all children, including every nation’s most vulnerable, by clearly establishing
measurable indicators: structure, process and outcomes to children-through improved
technical information, expertise and assistance. Based on knowledge and experience gained
over the 22 years since the CRC was adopted, GC13 advances best practice approaches and
technical resources for States Parties and professionals on preventing violence against children,
and on strengthening protection programs, systems, services, research, monitoring,
evaluation and reporting. This article addresses child rights and protection issues which
have been raised during this period, as well as during the consultation and resulting dialogues,
such as the rights of children in early/forced marriage, and the role of the State Party
as responsible caregiver when parents or families are not capable of providing protection.
