[JURIST] The head of a major UN study on worldwide child abuse [official website] opened a conference [official website] of government and human rights officials from 52 countries in Europe and Central Asia taking place in Slovenia [press release] Tuesday by observing that in many countries, children are "treated like property and have less rights than cats and dogs." Paolo Pinheiro is a former Brazilian Secretary of State for Human Rights of Brazil and has been in charge of the UN General Assembly-mandated study since 2003. The UN says the study is being guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child [official website], emphasizing "children's rights to physical and personal integrity, and outlines States parties obligations to protect them from "all forms of physical or mental violence", including sexual and other forms of exploitation, abduction, armed conflict, and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." AP has more.