8/51 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General - Note by the Secretariat

GE.08-13776 (E) 290508

UNITED NATIONS

A

General Assembly Distr. GENERAL

A/HRC/8/51 27 May 2008

Original: ENGLISH

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Eighth session Agenda item 2

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND REPORTS OF THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER AND THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Note by the Secretariat

The present note is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 7/29, in which in paragraph 15, the Council requested the Secretary-General to take urgent action on General Assembly resolution 62/141 and to appoint, at the highest possible level and without delay, a Special Representative on violence against children and to report on progress made to the Council at its eighth session.

Pursuant to the adoption of resolution 62/141, the Secretary-General has undertaken broad consultations with all relevant United Nations actors, including through the Inter-Agency Working Group on Violence against Children, regarding the establishment of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children.

The terms of reference of the Special Representative have been approved as consistent with resolution 62/141. The Special Representative will be appointed at the level of Assistant Secretary-General and will report directly to the Secretary-General. The Office of the Special Representative will be located in New York and provided with administrative support by UNICEF. The Special Representative will chair the Inter-Agency Working Group on Violence against Children. In accordance with the terms of resolution 62/141, the position is established for a period of three years. It is to be funded from voluntary contributions.

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