Council of Europe - Unicef: Fighting sexual exploitation and violence against children
Ljubljana, 5 - 7 July 2005

Opening of the conference in Ljubljana on combatting sexual exploitation and abuse of children

08.07.2005 - Council of Europe Director General of Legal Affairs Guy de Vel today called on countries to use all the powers at their disposal to combat child sex abuse.

Speaking at the opening of a conference in Ljubljana on combatting sexual exploitation and abuse of children, he said states' commitment to the Council of Europe conventions on Trafficking and on Cybercrime would build up the arsenal against child abuse.

The time was also ripe for a new convention to be drawn up on sexual exploitation - to stop the abusers with a Europe-wide treaty that covered ever aspect. His call was echoed by Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, who stressed that commitments made by states in the past to protect children needed strengthening.