Council of Europe

14.05.12 The Department for Equal Opportunities of Italy hosted on the 9th of May in Rome, an event to mark the 4th National Day to combat pedophilia and pedopornography. Prof. Elsa Fornero, Minister of Labour and Social Policies opened the event, announcing that the ratification of the Lanzarote Convention will be on the agenda of the Senate on the 15th of May.

During the event, the key Department’s activities aimed at combating child sexual abuse and exploitation were presented.

The new initiative “114 Emergenza Infanzia” was launched: this is a free helpline number to report child sexual abuses and receive help in emergencies and situations where children are at risk. A TV spot promoting the helpline number will be aired on different Italian TV and radio stations in the coming weeks.

The national “Call to support pilot projects for the treatment of minor victims of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation” was also presented.

Speakers at the event included: Mr Vincenzo Spadafora, National Authority for Children and Youth, Father Hans Zollner, Academic Vice-Chancellor, Pontifical Gregorian University and Ms Gioia Scappucci, from the Children’s Rights Division of the Council of Europe who presented the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child for 2012-2015.

For more information:

-read the programme and the official press release (in italian)

-read the ASCA press release (in italian)

-visit the website of “114 Emergenza Infanzia”, www.114.it (in italian)

-view the TV spot promoting the new helpline number (in italian)