Awareness Raising Conferences
Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children are among the worst forms of violence against children and have long-lasting damaging consequences for the young victims.
Protecting children from violence has been a top priority at the Council of Europe for many years. In 2007 the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse was adopted and opened for signature on the occasion of the 28th Conference of European Ministers of Justice in Lanzarote, Spain.
The objective of the convention, as indicated in its title, is to protect children against any form of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. Every provision aims at preventing sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, protecting child victims of sexual offences and prosecuting perpetrators. With an emphasis on keeping the best interests of children in the forefront, the convention covers the following main aspects: preventive and protective measures; assistance to child victims and their families; intervention programmes or measures for child sex offenders; criminal offences, including several entirely new offences, such as child grooming; child-friendly procedures for investigation and prosecution; recording and storing of data on convicted sex offenders; international co-operation; and a monitoring mechanism.
In view of the scale of the problem of child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse it is urgent that this convention enters into force as soon as possible so that children in Europe and throughout the world get the protection they deserve. For this reason the Council of Europe is launching a promotion of the convention through a series of regional conferences in member states to provide information, raise awareness and assist states with the ratification process.
Lotte Klaver
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Lotte Klaver
