Council of Europe

What is it?

The Parliamentary Assembly has created a network of contact parliamentarians and to date, 46 members have been appointed by national parliaments (May 2012). The network is also open to parliamentarians of non member states and of other international organisations. International partners who have appointed a contact parliamentarian so far include Mexico, Observer state to the Parliamentary Assembly, and the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie.

Download the list of members here.

Download the photo of contact parliamentarians here.
 

Why has it been set up?

• to associate national parliamentarians with the parliamentary dimension of the Council of Europe ONE in FIVE Campaign to stop sexual violence against children

• to co-ordinate national, European, and international parliamentary action to combat sexual violence against children

• to facilitate the exchange of best practices on the legislative and political action implemented in each member state.

When will the network meet?

In 2012, the network will continue to hold meetings at each part-session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and also in the framework of an external event.

Upcoming meetings:

• 27 June 2012: 8th meeting of the network of contact parliamentarians, on the occasion of the third PACE part-session in June 2012

Last meetings:

• 24 April 2012: 7th meeting of the network of contact parliamentarians, during the second part-session 2012 of the Parliamentary Assembly, on the question of the obligation to report suspected sexual violence against children (more info)

• 24 January 2012, Strasbourg: 6th meeting of the network of contact parliamentarians, during the first part-session 2012 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, on the means to redress and eliminate sexual violence against children (more info) (minutes).

• 17 November 2011, Florence: 5th meeting of the network, organised with the UNICEF Innocenti Research Center in Florence, on the issue of preventing sexual violence against children (more info) (minutes).

• 5 October 2011, Strasbourg: 4th meeting of the network on the issue of combating "child sex tourism". Exchange of views with Ms Najat Maalla M'jid, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and with Ms Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe (more info) (minutes).

• 22 June 2011, Strasbourg: 3rd meeting of the network on combating "grooming" (solicitation of children through the Internet for sexual purposes). Exchange of views with Ms Rogland, Senior Public Prosecutor (Sweden), and with Ms de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe (minutes).

• 13 April 2011, Strasbourg: 2nd meeting of the network on the issue of combating "child pornography" on the Internet. Exchange of views with Mr Carr, Senior Expert Adviser to the International Telecommunication Union, Child Online Protection Initiative (United Kingdom) (minutes).

• 26 January 2011, Strasbourg: the network of contact parliamentarians met for the first time on 26 January 2011 during the first part-session 2011 of the Parliamentary Assembly. The handbook for parliamentarians promoting the Lanzarote Convention was presented at that meeting (minutes).