Focal point: Rita Chung
rchung@gmu.edu

Improved research on causes and impact of violence on the lives of children in Asia-Pacific communities.

• Improved understanding of the causes of violence against children;
• Improved understanding of the psychological impact of violence on children;
• Promotion of research that examines both causes and consequences of violence on children;
• Methods for breaking the cycle of violence on children at individual, community, agency, organisational, state, national and international levels.

The UN Secretary General's Global Study of Violence Against Children is the basic motivation for this symposium, which will explore the complexity of violence and its impact on children's lives in the Asian-Pacific region, as well as investigating methods of prevention and intervention at many levels. Children in the Asia-Pacific region encounter numerous types of violence, including armed conflict (especially as child soldiers), domestic violence against children, child prostitution, psychological abuse, workplace violence, gender violence, ethnic violence, religious conflict, state violence (systemic violence, law and juvenile justice, school-based, institutional); and physical violence such as corporal punishment. Although the focus is on violence and children, this Symposium will challenge the construction of children as victims, seeking alternative models that encompass children's strength, creativity and coping strategies.

How do children learn about violence and their responses towards violence?
What are the psychosocial, cultural, economic, historical and political consequences of violence on children, families and communities?
What are the short and long term effects?

How can the cycle of violence be broken?
What are the effective culturally-responsive prevention and intervention strategies for children, families and communities?
What are the indigenous approaches?
How can community and agencies implement these approaches?

Who is accountable to whom?
What are the responses and what type of policies exist at regional, state, national and international levels?

The United Nations Secretary General's Global Study on Violence against Children
The role of information technology
Child soldiers/children in organized armed violence

This symposium will combine academics, policymakers, and practitioners. The aim of is to demonstrate the application of research to practice and the relevance to practice to evidence-based research. The sessions will consist of four to six short papers with round table discussions. Since the sessions are theme-based rather than focused on specific countries, the method of the symposium will be to share ideas and brainstorm using the keynote presentations and papers as a basis for discussion and application. Session chairs will form a panel to summarize and present conclusions and recommendations on the final day of the conference.

Additional structural components might be posters/exhibits (children's drawings); theatre; Videos, documentaries and short films

• Compendium of papers, published in different journals and magazines, taking into account different modes of dissemination, such as the Internet;
• Annotated bibliography;
• Recommendations for UN agencies, governments, NGOs and the UN Study on Violence Against Children;
• Continued discussion/sharing of information and programmes;
• Network and identify mechanisms to improve information sharing and resources on violence against children in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Develop collaborative interdisciplinary NGOs, agencies, government and university partnerships and research projects.

• Further annotated bibliography;
• Online data-base;
• Training package for service-providers and researchers;
• Codes of conduct for researchers and service-providers;
• Continued collaborative partnerships and research projects;
• Disseminate findings of the collaborative research projects.