On 10 March 2022, the Lanzarote Committee adopted a Statement calling for the protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse resulting from the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. In the statement, the 48 Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse are called upon to “uphold the rights and best interests of the child at all times” and are required to “take measures to address the specific risk of exposure to sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of migrant and refugee children”.
To this end, as provided by Article 38 of the Convention, Parties are required to cooperate with relevant stakeholders in Europe and beyond to:
- prevent the exposure of all children to the risks of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse;
- provide appropriate support and assistance to child victims of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse in their physical and psychosocial recovery;
- fight against the impunity of sexual offenders.
For more details on specific obligations, the Lanzarote Committee referred to the recommendations of its Special report "Protecting children affected by the refugee crisis from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse" as well as its Declaration on protecting migrant and refugee children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. A Checklist prepared by the Lanzarote Committee Secretariat succinctly outlines the main specific obligations based on the above documents.