Public seminar of the Lanzarote Committee

31 May 2023, Strasbourg and online


 

On 31 May 2023, the Lanzarote Committee (i.e. Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse) together with with the Permanent Representation of France to the Council of Europe held a public seminar on statutes of limitation in respect of sexual offenses against children and the legal age for sexual activities in the States Parties to the Convention. The event took place in Strasbourg and online, and was livestreamed in English and French (see the links to video recording below).

The event was organised in the context of ongoing public discussions on legislative reforms surrounding the two issues in the States Parties to the Lanzarote Convention and in the light of the Parties’ responses to the topical surveys launched by the Committee in 2021. It brought together representatives of the Parties to the Lanzarote Convention, prominent experts in the protection of children from sexual violence, and various stakeholders. After being introduced to a comparative analysis of the national legal frameworks related to these two matters, they explored the main challenges and emerging trends. The event also fostered an exchange of good practices among States and strived to identify innovative ways of enhancing the existing policies to effectively safeguard children’s well-being.

Marie Fontanel, Ambassador and then Permanent Representative of France to the Council of Europe, and Marja Ruotanen, Director General of Democracy and Human Dignity at the Council of Europe, delivered opening remarks. Gioia Scappucci, the Executive Secretary to the Lanzarote Committee, and Irena Guidikova, Head of the Children’s Rights and Sport Values Department at the Council of Europe, moderated the discussions.

At its forthcoming meetings, the Lanzarote Committee will determine the best avenues for effectively following up on the seminar findings and discussions.

 

 Video recording: morning session and afternoon session

 Comparative study of the statutes of limitations in respect of sexual offences against children in the State Parties to the Lanzarote Convention

 Comparative study of the legal age for sexual activities in the State Parties to the Lanzarote Convention


Programme


Resources