31/05/2013 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Strasbourg, 31.05.2013 - “Child protection and children’s well-being across the world, including in Europe, are far from being ensured at the beginning of the 21st century. Child trafficking, sexual exploitation of children, child poverty and child neglect continue to be widespread.
There are regular reports from different places about the shocking living conditions of children, including that they are going hungry even in wealthy nations at the heart of Europe,” said Stella Kyriakides (Cyprus, EPP/CD), General Rapporteur on Children of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), speaking on the eve of International Children’s Day, celebrated by many countries on 1 June every year.
“Children are not only ‘our future’, they are human beings living today, and are entitled to have their human rights fully respected. They should be protected through legislation and policy, and their full development and participation should be fostered. Under my mandate, the Assembly will also reinforce its efforts to promote child-friendly justice, health care and social services, as clearly outlined in relevant Council of Europe instruments,” the Rapporteur concluded.
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PACE is committed to this cause through various activities, such as the parliamentary dimension of the ONE in FIVE Campaign to stop sexual violence against children or its current reports on child poverty or the dysfunctions of child-related social services in Europe.