Biennial Reports on the Condition of Children

Law No. 451 of 23 December 1997 establishing  the Parliamentary Commission for Children and the National Observatory for Childhood and Adolescence requires that a report on the condition of children in Italy be drawn up every two years, using the guidance function of the National Observatory, as well as the technical and scientific contribution of the National Documentation Centre for Children and Adolescents.

The preparation of the Report also meets the obligations of verifying the living conditions of children and the implementation of their rights, which Italy must fulfil in compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Law no. 176 of 27 May 1991 on the  Ratification and Enforcement of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A characteristic of the Report is that it pays particular attention to phenomena that are new or are once again becoming a priority in the world of childhood. For this reason, the Report is not a complete and exhaustive review of all the complex aspects of the condition children. It rather offers some reflections on open issues, while proposing, where possible, working solutions to overcome the main difficulties. The aim is to provide a coordinated and updated representation of the complex aspects and phenomena characterizing the condition of childhood and the system of services and interventions to promote and protect the rights of children in Italy.
All the ministries and other central Administrations working on the topics related to children, as well as the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, and other public and private bodies operating in the sector contribute to the collection of information and statistical data.