Retour 1st meeting of the Ad hoc Committee for the Rights of the Child (CAHENF)

Strasbourg , 

Key messages

I welcome you warmly to the first meeting of our new intergovernmental committee for the rights of the child. You know why you are here and what is expected of you. I am pleased that our priority to have a dedicated committee, composed of experts to further children’s rights and to look after the best interest of the child is now operational. The terms of reference are clear. Still, I would like to recall a few important elements which I would like you to bear in mind, and which I will anchor around the concepts of transformation and trust.

Europe is a continent in transformation. We have to adapt to changes and find solutions to challenges that threaten our human rights, democracy and rule of law. That is the essence of the Council of Europe’s mission. Our compass in this period of transition is the European Convention of Human Rights and, in your field, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as other key standards developed to strengthen the human rights of children.

The Programme “Building a Europe for and with Children”, set up a decade ago, has become a trademark which is known for being pragmatic, creative, reactive and visible. During the three consecutive strategy cycles (Stockholm 2008-2010, Monaco 2011-2015, Sofia 2016-2021), the Programme has pioneered new working methods and mainstreamed children’s rights across virtually the entire Organisation. It has triggered the adoption of new legal standards strengthening the rights of the child in the areas of violence, justice, social services, health care, and participation of children. It has driven changes in legislation and policy in member States. European campaigns have been organised to break down taboos around corporal punishment and sexual violence. We are making a difference in the lives of millions of children.

The Sofia Strategy was developed by a highly competent Committee of Experts during 2014 and 2015, with input from all member States, children, civil society and our key international partners. I would like to congratulate the Committee for its work on the Strategy, including the Chair, Ms Verzivolli, who is here today in the Albanian delegation, for having managed so well the negotiations. I would also like to thank the then Bulgarian Presidency for placing children’s rights high on its agenda.

The Strategy encompasses a wide range of issues, from equal opportunities and participation of children, to the fight against violence, child-friendly justice and children’s rights in the digital environment. I would like to focus specifically on two immediate challenges that you, as a committee, are expected to address. Both are consequences of the transformation of our societies. For some they are threats but for me they are challenges, and possibly opportunities.

Migration

Migration and refugee flows affect every member State. From immediate support to long-term integration, Europe faces challenges in providing protection to children fleeing war, violence and persecution, and guaranteeing their safety and fundamental rights.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe in March this year proposed a series of immediate, priority actions to our member States, to better ensure the safety and proper treatment of migrant and asylum-seeking children in Europe, and with a special focus on those who are unaccompanied.

The Special Representative of the Secretary General on migration and refugees, Ambassador Boček, is placing special attention on the right of children affected by migration. From Greece to “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and Turkey, he is working tirelessly to assess the situation on the ground in our member States’ most critical areas, making very specific and targeted recommendations, and providing support and expertise.

One immediate contribution that the Committee of Ministers is expecting from you is a set of clear proposals for standards on legal guardianship and age assessment. Your contribution on this matter will make a real difference at European level. It will also address a major concern that affects numerous children in Europe today. I very much encourage you to think “outside the box” and find constructive and adequate policy and practical measures for these children, which are not only child-friendly, but which fully respect their rights.

Through all this, we are not trying to grant children any sort of special status, or privileged treatment. We are simply recognising the fundamental rights they have as they enter the jurisdiction of one of the 47 member States of the Council of Europe under the European Convention on Human Rights – irrespective of who they are and where they come from.

Internet

Today’s children can no longer imagine a life without smartphones and tablets, without Google and WhatsApp. Adults, however, have difficulties catching up, both as individuals, for example as parents, and as policy-makers. There is much talk of the risks and opportunities for children on the internet, and the issue touches upon virtually every dimension of children’s rights: equal access, freedom of expression and information, freedom of association and assembly, privacy and data-protection, education and literacy, protection from violence and exploitation, just to name the most important ones.

But what can governments actually do about all that? How should all these issues be addressed from a children’s rights angle? One of the major tasks of your Committee will be to find good answers to this question. The Committee of Ministers entrusted you with developing “Guidelines for member States to empower, protect and support children’s safe access to their rights on the Internet”. Next to your work on migration, this is the second key output you will be expected to deliver by the end of next year.

Closing remarks

Ladies and gentlemen, I am placing my trust in your capacity to continue “Building a Europe for and with children”. Your leadership, in partnership with your national counterparts, other international organisations, civil society and children are the building blocks of our obligation to bring forward our shared values. I look forward to your innovative and creative work and, most importantly, the concrete results you will deliver to improve the lives of children not just tomorrow, but for those who need our support today.