With the new challenges Europe is facing today, governments cannot afford to put children’s rights on the backburner, said participants of the Council of Europe conference that started in Sofia today.
“Keeping Europe anchored in democracy, universal human rights and the rule of law is our generation’s great challenge. But let’s be clear: it will be up to the next generation to complete the task,” said the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni in her opening address. “Not only are children full holders of human rights – they are also the future guardians of human rights.”
During this conference, the new Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child for 2016-2021 is being officially launched. It will provide guidance to member States on how to effectively counter the risks posed by the refugee crisis: children falling prey to traffickers, subjected to hate speech and xenophobia, enduring everyday hardships. Economic uncertainties fueling poverty, inequality and social exclusion, and the digital environment with its harmful content, online sexual abuse and cyber-bullying pose further risks to children in Europe. (more...)