This research -undertaken by the Inter-American Children's Institute (OAS) with the support of Save the Children-Sweden- is intended to become a benchmark for the detection of legislative gaps, and identify the "best practices" applied either in Latin America o in other countries throughout the world.

It is a document that requires browsing through; it contains a central section with an introduction, analysis, and conclusions provided with hyperlinks connecting the reader with the direct references to official documents on the issued under consideration. It also includes an annex on a country-by-country basis where information is organized following the same categories used throughout the main text, such as: Children's Rights; Criminal Legislation; Public Policies; Supplementary Policies, and Child Participation.

The surveyed countries were: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.