The Council of Europe protects and promotes the human rights of everyone, including children. Based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Convention on Human Rights and other legal standards, the Council of Europe promotes and protects the rights of millions of children in Europe.

Focus

Join states in a class of excellence to fight child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse - Side event organised on the margins of the 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council

Abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against children are heinous crimes – ending them by 2030 is one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. How can states live up to this commitment?

The Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (the Lanzarote Convention) is the most comprehensive international instrument on protecting children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. It serves as a blueprint for states to strengthen legislation and policies to better prevent sexual exploitation and abuse of children, protect victims, prosecute offenders, and promote national and international co-operation. The Convention is open to accession by any country in the world. Joining the Lanzarote Convention allows states to benefit from the unique mechanism it provides to strengthen legislation, policy and practice, through the Lanzarote Committee. 48 countries are currently parties to the Convention.

The aim of the side event is to present the ways for states to prevent and protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse, to enhance international co-operation through joining the Lanzarote Convention and to explore an example of promising practice for multidisciplinary and interagency co-operation in the form of Barnahus or “Children’s House”.