End Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse @ Europe (EndOCSEA@Europe)

The EndOCSEA@Europe project is implemented by the Children’s Rights Division of the Council of Europe, in co-operation with the Cybercrime Office (C-PROC) in Bucharest, Romania.

Objectives

The ever increasing use of information and communication technologies whilst providing additional opportunities for children to exercise their rights also exposes them to greater risks of sexual exploitation and abuse facilitated by online technologies. Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA) is a crime that has far reaching, long-term consequences for the victims, survivors and the wider community. Preventing and combatting this crime is a complex challenge that requires constant action by every member state of the Council of Europe.

To support member states to prevent and combat OCSEA, the Council of Europe has launched a new project “End Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse @ Europe” (EndOCSEA@Europe). This project seeks to address the contextual challenges identified at pan-European and country levels by promoting, facilitating and supporting national efforts and actions to prevent and combat OCSEA. This project will support global efforts in this area, including actions towards SDG 16.2 and SDG 5.2 as well as the implementation of relevant international and European standards, in particular the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention), and 8 of the capabilities identified in the WePROTECT Model National Response.

Newsroom on EndOCSEA@Europe project

Back Webinar on Educational measures to prevent risks associated with child self-generated sexual images/videos, 12 November 2020

The topic of “Educational measures to prevent risks associated with child self-generated sexual images/videos” was addressed in a very informative and practical webinar which was organised by the Council of Europe Project EndOCSEA @ Europe and the Children’s Rights Division. It took place on 12 November 2020 on the occasion of the 2020 edition of the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (18 November) which focused on "preventing risky behaviour by children: child self-generated sexual images and/or videos".

The fruitful discussions, which were led by Ms Christel De Craim, Chairperson of the Lanzarote Committee and Ms Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights together with experts Ms Amy Crocker and Ms Maria Rosaria Centrone, paved the way to further action to prevent risks online that are generated by the behaviour of children themselves and protect them better. It was clearly highlighted that efforts should be mobilised to improve the capacity and role of schools in educating children, including young ones, with a comprehensive curricula that is adapted to the needs of children in today’s environment and bearing in mind that “taboos around sexuality are predators’ best allies”.

The Commissioner for Human Rights stated that “comprehensive sexuality education means that it is about cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. It goes beyond biology and reproduction and truly equips children with knowledge about their bodies and their rights, while also teaching them about gender equality, sexual orientations and gender identities. This is necessary for children to feel good about themselves and to develop safe and respectful social and sexual relationships throughout their lives.”

This event online was an opportunity to remind the wider community of the requirement of the Council of Europe Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (the Lanzarote Convention) to work with parents and the education community to empower children to say “no”, "to recognise and assess risks and to report harm.”

Acknowledgements:

The Council of Europe gratefully acknowledges the financial support provided for this programme by the End Violence Fund.

PowerPoint Presentation by Maria Centrone