facilitate cross-learning, reflect Africa’s position at global level, and accelerate national action in addressing violence against children. b. Risk and protective factors for violence against children A representative from AfriChild shared a presentation on recent research focusing on risk and protective factors for violence against children with a focus on the situation of children in residential care facilities. The research used child friendly methodologies to capture what children in residential care in Uganda experience. Some of the key experiences included: child labour, exclusion of HIV positive children, denial of food, doing house work even during examinations, sexual violence (inappropriate touching of girls and boys, verbal insults, child to child sexual interaction, rape of boys, abuse of girls by male care takers), physical violence (beating, slapping, pinching, biting each other), psychological and emotional violence (reminding children of poor backgrounds, verbal abuse, segregation and discrimination, extreme punishment) and institutional confinement. The presentation further identified the consequences of these forms of violence include pregnancy, sodomy, injuries and health complications. Perpetrators of the violence are fellow children, older children, cleaners and care givers. It was informed that the study recommended counseling, sex education, teaching of ethics, skill empowerment and career guidance, motivating the children, light punishment, constant follow-ups, regulation of care facilities, and exploring of alternative care options to address the concerns. Finally it was proposed that child protection systems both in rural and urban areas should be promoted and supported. Questions were raised to AfriChild on how children are admitted to the care facilities; how violence happens in institutions; the existence of any regulations; availability of reintegration process or alternative care; the establishment of inspection system to monitor the residential care facilities; and the development of standards for facilities. In response it was pointed out that children end up in the residential care facilities when they are abandoned or when their parents surrender them. Inspections are conducted but abuses persist meaning that the facilities may not be doing their job properly. It was also indicated that there is no proper regulation of the residential care facilities. Alternative care is being explored in Uganda as a solution. In the continued discussions, participants stressed that light punishment as a recommendation is not appropriate and hence positive disciplining should be recommended. Somalia shared its experience on informal foster care as a mechanism that many families use hence the country does not have residential care. Niger also shared underlining that children are in danger even if they are within the family. For Niger, violence against children is addressed from a systems perspective. Once a report is received about children’s situation, police will investigate and develop a report with 22 | P a g e