This document provides highlights and recommendations of a conference on battered children and child abuse sponsored by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) and the World Health Organization (WHO). In a discussion of the nature of the child abuse problem, the history of child maltreatment is briefly reviewed and the fact that it is a neglected policy area is discussed. The availability and accuracy of data on the magnitude of the problem in developed and developing countries is summarized. Difficulties in defining the problem of child abuse are discussed, noting that definitions vary between and within countries. The conference's definition of child abuse is stated: child abuse is defined as the intended or unintended act or omission by an adult, society or country, which adversely affects a child's health, physical growth, or psychosocial development. Definitions of child neglect, passive child abuse, and child exploitation are also discussed. Explanatory models of child abuse are described, focusing on a multivariate approach within a sociopolitical setting. Primary and secondary prevention activities are discussed; the need for greater public awareness of the different forms of child abuse, and the extent to which it occurs in different social circumstances is highlighted. Five recommendations of the conference are stated. The conference program is included. (ABL)