In 2002, United Nations General Assembly Resolution 56/138 requested the Secretary-General to conduct an in-depth study on the question of violence against children, following a recommendation of the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The Secretary-General’s Study on Violence Against Children, led by Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, addressed violence against children in five settings: the family, schools, alternative care institutions, detention facilities, places where children work, and communities. The Study called for urgent action to prevent and respond to all forms of violence and presented a set of strategic recommendations.