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What the Council of Europe is doing for children? The Council of Europe, with 46 member states, is Europe’s leading guardian of human rights. For over 55 years it has pursued a mission to bring human rights, democracy and the rule of law to Europe. It is the author and upholder of the European Convention on Human Rights and the home of the European Court of Human Rights. Defending and strengthening children’s rights is a natural mission for the Council of Europe. • The Committee of Ministers has acted on children’s behalf in many respects, including recommendations on violence in the family, sexual exploitation, and protection of children in dealings with the law. The latest recommendation on the rights of children living in residential institutions is the first text to tackle this issue and sets out guidelines for governments. - Committee of Ministers website • The Integrated Project “Responses to violence in everyday life” resulted in European Charter for Democratic Schools without Violence, drawn up by school pupils from different countries of Europe. • The Convention on Cybercrime tackles child pornography, with countries asked to adopt measures against the use of computers and mobile phones for child porn on the internet. - Convention on Cybercrime (2001) • The Convention on the Exercise of Children’s Rights gives children the right to be informed and express their views in legal proceedings and the right to apply for a special representative. - European Convention on the Exercise of Children’s Rights (1996) • The Anti Trafficking Convention ensures the human rights of child victims. - Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (2005) • Landmark judgments in the Court of Human Rights. A series of judgments in the court, dating back to 1978, has challenged corporal punishment of children in penal systems, schools and in the family. Other judgments have dealt with the right of children to have contacts with their family after divorce; their right to protection from physical and sexual abuse and the right of children to be dealt with fairly before the police and the courts.
• The European Social Charter upholds basic social standards for the countries of Europe. It includes the right of children and young people to social, legal and economic protection. It is an essential tool in stopping child labour, trafficking and the use of children in the sex industry, for example. The committee that monitors the Charter has condemned corporal punishment and promoted the rights of children in institutions, advocating foster care over long term placement in residential care. • The Anti Torture Committee (CPT) has the mandate to visit all places of detention in member states. Visits include adult prisons and police stations where young people could be held, and juvenile detention centres. The committee has criticised the practice of mixing young people with adults, called for special care to meet the needs of young people and spoken out against solitary confinement of young people. - European Committee for the Prevention of Torture • The Parliamentary Assembly has passed dozens of recommendations and resolutions that aim to improve the lives of children, including a call in 2004 for a Europe-wide ban on corporal punishment.
• The Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner has frequently paid attention to children’s issues during the course of his work. Subject areas include the situation of Roma children, urban youth violence, child abandonment and young asylum seekers.
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