26/11/2010 Equality and Non-Discrimination
Strasbourg, 26.11.2010 – A 14-member PACE delegation will be taking part in the launch of the Council of Europe campaign to stop sexual violence against children, “One in five”, next week in Rome – and drawing attention to ambitious plans for the parliamentary dimension of the campaign.
These plans 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, through ratification of the Council of Europe convention on this subject, and the publication of a handbook comparing national laws and highlighting best practice.
Frank Fahey (Ireland, ALDE), a Vice-President of the Assembly and former Irish childrens’ minister, will speak on the first day of the the launch ceremony (Monday 29 November) to highlight the parliamentary contribution and recount how Ireland faced up to its own “painful experience” of child abuse, urging that the problem be tackled with transparency and determination.
Carina Ohlsson (Sweden, SOC), who Chairs PACE’s Sub-committee on Children, will speak on the second day (Tuesday 30 November) to spell out exactly what legal changes are needed, and stress the need for methods and procedures that focus on the child, drawing on “good practice” in Sweden.
Marlene Rupprecht (Germany, SOC), Chairperson of the German Parliament’s Committee on Children and an early advocate of the campaign, will also speak on the second day (Tuesday 30 November) to outline how effective PACE’s network of parliamentarians has been in achieving real progress in other fields, and to share the German experience of developing a national action plan against sexual abuse of children.
PACE’s network of “contact parliamentarians” will meet for the first time during the Assembly’s winter session in January 2011, to kick off a cascade of parliamentary activities to reinforce the main campaign’s messages and impact.