The fourth in a series of regional seminars held by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UNICEF, the seminar targeted parliaments of Latin America and regional inter-parliamentary organizations. It was held in San José from 26 to 28 August 2009, at the invitation of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica. The seminar focussed specifically on the role of parliaments in preventing and responding to violence against children and adolescents.

Parliamentarians from the region debated on ways and mechanisms of developing a protective framework for children, with a particular focus on parliamentary mechanisms. The purpose of the seminar was to enable parliamentarians and parliamentary staff involved in child protection issues to gain a deeper understanding of the tools at their disposal to develop a protective environment for children.