A final conference of the EndOCSEA@Europe+ Project took place in Strasbourg on 21 October 2025, marking the successful conclusion of two years of joint efforts to strengthen national and regional responses to online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The event brought together key partners, experts and national representatives to showcase the project’s achievements and reflect on the progress made in the focus countries – Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Montenegro – in this fight.
Opening the conference, Agnès von Maravić, Head of the Children’s Rights Division and Council of Europe Coordinator for the Rights of the Child, underlined the project’s core objective: “to ensure that every child can grow, learn, and thrive in safety, with their rights fully respected, while exploring together how we can go even further in advancing these goals.”
Serena Tommasino, Senior Technical & Advocacy Lead at Safe Online, added that “this project exemplifies how cross-country collaboration and shared learning can drive system-wide change - helping countries across the region make children’s digital experiences safer, more inclusive, and empowering”.
Speakers from partner organisations and the focus countries shared progress made, lessons learned and good practices in protecting children online and highlighted the project’s lasting impact. Rhiannon-Faye McDonald, Head of Advocacy at the Marie Collins Foundation emphasised the importance of a child- and survivor-centred approach, while Victoria Baines, international cybercrime expert, led a discussion on new digital threats and emerging trends.
Participants also explored recent international initiatives and practical tools discussing issues such as data protection and collection, abuse in the circle of trust, children’s exposure to pornography, harmful sexual behaviour among children, and comprehensive sexuality education.
The Conference was followed by a study visit to the Ortenau Childhood-Haus, offering participants insight into the implementation of the the Barnahus model* in Germany through an integrated justice–police–youth welfare approach which ensures that children receive co-ordinated and holistic support.
Although the EndOCSEA@Europe+ project is coming to an end in December 2025, the Council of Europe will continue disseminating its tools and training materials in all member states, to further support professionals in keeping every child safe online. All publicly available materials developed under the project can be found on its dedicated website.
The Council of Europe gratefully acknowledges the financial support provided for this programme by Safe Online.
* The Barnahus (Children’s House in Icelandic) is the leading European response model to child sexual abuse aimed at coordinating parallel criminal and child welfare investigations, with all relevant services under one roof, to prevent secondary victimisation of children.
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