Back Council of Europe strengthens Armenian professionals’ knowledge and skills to combat sexual violence against children marking the Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse

Council of Europe strengthens Armenian professionals’ knowledge and skills to combat sexual violence against children marking the Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse

To mark the Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse the Council of Europe organised a roundtable discussion gathering 30 national and international partners, experts, and practitioners.

Launched in 2015 as a follow-up to the Council of Europe’s ONE in FIVE campaign, this Day serves as a reminder of a grave reality: about 1 in 5 children in Europe falls victim to violence including sexual abuse. This year’s theme, “Strengthening the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse through evidence-based policy making,” highlights the importance of reliable and comprehensive data in shaping effective child protection policies and practices. These collective efforts are guided by the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Convention – the main international legally binding instrument dedicated to preventing and combating sexual violence against children – which Armenia has ratified together with all other 46 member States.

Children remain the primary beneficiaries of the policies designed to protect them, and their perspectives provide crucial insight into the risks they face, the realities of their daily lives, and the effectiveness of existing measures.

The roundtable provided an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned from the Council of Europe’s standards, including those reaffirmed by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of A.P. v. Armenia, which addressed the inadequate protection of a child with a disability who was subjected to sexual abuse.

In addition, as part of the event, the Project celebrated the achievements of the first cohort of professionals working for and with children, including civil servants, law enforcement officials, and lawyers, among others.

The roundtable was organised under the Council of Europe’s project "Protecting the Rights of Armenian Children in Post-Conflict Context", within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan 2023-2026 for Armenia.

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*Background information: The European Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) supports the Council of Europe member states in implementing the European Convention on Human Right. Its main objective is to enhance the capacity of judges, lawyers and prosecutors, in all 46 Council of Europe member states and beyond, to apply the European human rights standards in their daily work.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA 18 NOVEMBER 2025
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What is the goal and objective of the project?

"Protecting the Rights of Children in Armenia” project is part of the Council of Europe comprehensive response package to the refugee influx in Armenia in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan 2023-2026. The project aims at supporting the Armenian authorities in their efforts to strengthen the resilience and capacity of the child protection system, in line with international and Council of Europe standards.

The main components of the project are: 1) protection of unaccompanied and separated children in post-conflict context, and 2) protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

The project draws on the Council of Europe's expertise to safeguard children's rights in the aftermath of conflict. Aligned with the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child, the project, inter alia, supports the implementation of the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in migration contexts.

 Start Date: 01 January 2024

 Duration: 36 months

 Funding: EUR 860 000

Donor: Donors contributing to the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023–2026

Contact Person: Artyom SEDRAKYAN, Senior Project Officer

 

Who benefits from the project?
How does the project work?

The cooperation project will be carried out in line with the priorities laid down in the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia for 2023- 2026 .

What do we expect to achieve?
  • The project adopts a multifaceted approach to protect the rights of affected Armenian children by offering legal and policy support aligned with Council of Europe standards;
  • The project focuses on strengthening the capacities of civil servants, focal points, and other professionals to effectively safeguard the rights of Armenian children impacted by the conflict, including those who are unaccompanied and separated;
  • The project aims to raise awareness among both children and parents about effective guardianship and the prevention of violence against children.
Reference documents