18/03/2015 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
"The Assembly has taken responsibility in the fight to eliminate sexual violence against children, and established the Network of Contact Parliamentarians as a spearhead force in this fight. Four years of successful campaigning stand as proof of our commitment: 36 ratifications of the Lanzarote Convention, and increased awareness about sexual abuse on European and worldwide levels being the true fruit of our involvement", Valeriu Ghiletchi (Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD), Chairperson of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development declared.
He was addressing the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (Lanzarote Committee), meeting in the Hague from 16 to 19 March.
Representatives from the 36 states parties to the Lanzarote Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse and other Council of Europe member and observer states met to discuss the progress and challenges in the implementation of the Convention.
A special focus was on preventing and fighting sexual abuse, particularly though the “grooming” of children online. Representatives of NGOs and law enforcement did also contribute. A visit to Europol to learn about the work done on protecting children against sexual exploitation on- and offline was organised.