29/11/2010 Equality and Non-Discrimination
Strasbourg, 29.11.2010 – PACE Vice-President and former Irish childrens’ minister Frank Fahey (Ireland, ALDE) has recalled how transparent inquiries enabled Ireland to face up to the “painful experience” of dealing with child sexual abuse and urged other countries to do the same.
Speaking today at the launch in Rome of the Council of Europe’s new “one in five” campaign to stop sexual violence against children, Senator Fahey said the abuse of children was a “shameful mark” on modern society. Highly-visible inquiries in Ireland had “allowed a great number of victims to speak up, to accuse perpetrators who were then judged, and to receive compensation”, he said. He invited all countries to face the issue “in the same courageous and transparent manner”.
A 14-member PACE delegation is taking part in the launch to draw attention to ambitious plans for the parliamentary dimension of the campaign. These include the creation of a network of “contact parliamentarians” – one from each of the 47 national parliaments – to press for stronger laws against child abuse, and the publication of a handbook comparing national laws and highlighting best practice.