New York, May 30 -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced today the appointment of Najat Maalla M'jid of Morocco as his Special Representative on Violence Against Children at the level of Assistant Secretary-General, the office of the spokesperson of the UN Secretary General said in a statement Thursday.

"She will succeed Marta Santos Pais of Portugal, to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for her leadership and dedicated commitment during her tenure as the first Special Representative on Violence Against Children," it added.

Dr. M'jid, a medical doctor in pediatrics, has over the last three decades devoted her life to the promotion and protection of children's rights. She was Head of the Pediatric Depar...