Aspiration #7 Aspiration 7: Every child is protected against violence, exploitation, neglect and abuse. By 2020, States • should have prohibited corporal punishment as a form of discipline or punishment in schools, institutions and in the criminal justice system; • should have set a minimum age for admission into employment at 15 years or higher; this minimum age should correspond to the minimum age for completing compulsory schooling; • should have prohibited all forms of harmful labour practices and child trafficking, and ensured the effective implementation of these laws; • should have domesticated laws designating the minimum age of marriage as 18 years, in compliance with international law; • should have prohibited all forms of physical abuse, sexual violence and exploitation, sex trafficking, female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage and child pornography, and ensured the effective implementation of these laws; • should have engaged with the UN, AU and aid agencies to ensure that children are protected from being sexually exploited by aid workers, military personnel and peacekeepers, and that the perpetrators of such acts be prosecuted and punished; • should, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, have supported a comprehensive country-wide study to identify factors inhibiting the effective implementation of laws protecting children against violence, abuse and exploitation, and formulating strategies for their successful implementation; • should have embarked on public information and awareness campaigns for the abolition of harmful practices, initiated collective discussions involving the communities concerned, and undertaken capacity building of professionals working with and for children; • should have strengthened collaboration with traditional and faith leaders and built upon their influential voice to enhance awareness among families and communities about the detrimental impact of harmful practices on children; to clarify that these practices are not based on or legitimised by religion; and to support a process of social change which may lead to the lasting abandonment of these practices; • should have adopted and effectively implemented legislation prohibiting all forms of violence against children, including new and emerging manifestations, supported by detailed legal provisions on counselling, reporting, investigation 50