Building a Europe for and with children

Learning from good practices: Council of Europe to strengthen international cooperation to tackle sexual violence against children

27.11.2012 - What is the role of international cooperation in tackling sexual violence against children? Can new approaches and strategies be identified and promoted? These themes will be discussed at an international conference that will take place in Rome on 29-30 November 2012.

The Conference “The role of international cooperation in tackling sexual violence against children” will aim to raise awareness on the Council of Europe Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (“the Lanzarote Convention”) and to discuss and exchange views on the concrete potential of its Article 38 on international cooperation.

The conference will be a forum to share and present good practices from all over the world in this field. Participants will learn about the cooperation projects and agreements concluded by the Italian authorities with selected beneficiary states to prevent and combat sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children. Projects in Europe, Regional programmes, Mediterranean projects and African projects will be showcased.

The conference will gather representatives from the Council of Europe member states and observer states, experts from other continents, representatives from NGOs and from independent institutions, as well as other partners, including the UN and the EU.

This conference is organised by the Council of Europe, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Directorate General for Development Cooperation, the Department of Equal Opportunities of the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the Italian Ministry of Justice.

The conference will begin at 9 am on Thursday 29 November 2012 at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (International Conference Hall, Piazzale della Farnesina, 1,00135 Rome).

Programme

Background paper

Lanzarote Convention website

Presentations and speeches

Report of the Conference

Videos by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

"Stop the silence"

"Missione di Civiltà"

Further information on the Conference

Bulletin of the Italian Ministry of Foreigh Affairs

International cooperation of Italy on Sexual Abuse

Contacts:

In Strasbourg:  Estelle Steiner, Media Officer, tel. +33 3 88 41 33 35, mobile +33 6 08 46 01 57

In Rome:  Roberto Tumbarello, Press correspondent, +39 335 69 38 216