CRC/C/GC/13 exposed to violence in many settings where professionals and State actors have often misused their power over children, such as schools, residential homes, police stations or justice institutions. All of these conditions fall under the scope of article 19, which is not limited to violence perpetrated solely by caregivers in a personal context. 3. “shall take …” 37. “Shall take” is a term which leaves no leeway for the discretion of States parties. Accordingly, States parties are under strict obligation to undertake “all appropriate measures” to fully implement this right for all children. 4. “all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures” 38. General measures of implementation and monitoring. The Committee draws the attention of States parties to general comment No. 5 (2003) on general measures of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 16 The Committee also refers States parties to its general comment No. 2 (2002) on the role of independent national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of the rights of the child. These measures of implementation and monitoring are essential to bring article 19 into reality. 39. “All appropriate...measures”. The term “appropriate” refers to the broad range of measures cutting across all sectors of Government, which must be used and be effective in order to prevent and respond to all forms of violence. “Appropriate” cannot be interpreted to mean acceptance of some forms of violence. An integrated, cohesive, interdisciplinary and coordinated system is required, which incorporates the full range of measures identified in article 19, paragraph 1, across the full range of interventions listed in paragraph 2. Isolated programmes and activities which are not integrated into sustainable and coordinated government policy and infrastructures will have limited effects. Child participation is essential in the development, monitoring and evaluation of the measures outlined here. 40. Legislative measures refer to both legislation, including the budget, and the implementing and enforcing measures. They comprise national, provincial and municipal laws and all relevant regulations, which define frameworks, systems, mechanisms and the roles and responsibilities of concerned agencies and competent officers. 41. State parties that have not yet done so must: (a) Ratify the two Optional Protocols to the Convention, and other international and regional human rights instruments that provide protection for children, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; (b) Review and withdraw declarations and reservations contrary to the object and purpose of the Convention or otherwise contrary to international law; (c) Strengthen cooperation with treaty bodies and other human rights mechanisms; (d) Review and amend domestic legislation in line with article 19 and its implementation within the holistic framework of the Convention, establishing a comprehensive policy on child rights and ensuring absolute prohibition of all forms of 16 14 See in particular paras. 9 (range of measures required), 13 and 15 (regarding withdrawal and eligibility of reservations), and 66 and 67 (dissemination of the Convention).

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