Europe
Cooperation with the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe was a major contributor to the preparation of the United Nations Study on violence against children and has consistently prioritized the issue of violence against children.
A Europe free from violence against children is one of the five strategic objectives of the current Council of Europe Strategy on the Rights of the Child (2016-2021). The Strategy states that in its efforts to address violence against children, the Council of Europe will continue to act as a regional driver of initiatives to promote the implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Study and to support the mandate of the Special Representative.
The Strategy includes action to:
- promote an integrated approach to protection from violence;
- to combat specific forms of violence against children, such as sexual violence; corporal punishment; trafficking; violence in schools, bullying and gender-based violence;
- Promote the rights of the child in the digital environment;
- Promote the ethical and meaningful participation of children.
The Special Representative regularly engages with the various Council of Europe bodies and institutions, including its Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly and several intergovernmental and monitoring bodies. The Council of Europe’s contribution to the elimination of violence against children includes several legally binding treaties, policy guidelines and recommendations, monitoring of States’ compliance with international standards, training and capacity-building programmes, and awareness-raising campaigns.
Further information on the Council of Europe’s work to prevent and address violence against children may be found here: https://www.coe.int/en/web/children/violence-againt-children
Cooperation with the European Union
The European Union has a wide range of activity supporting the elimination of violence against children.
In July 2020, the EU published its Strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse. It provides a framework for developing a strong and comprehensive response to these crimes, both in their online and offline forms. The Strategy sets out eight initiatives to implement and develop a legal framework, strengthen the law enforcement response and catalyze coordinated multi-stakeholder action in relation to prevention, investigation and assistance to victims.
The EU published its Strategy on the Rights of the Child in March 2021. It is complemented by the European Child Guarantee, which aims to break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion for children in Europe.
The Strategy has six thematic areas:
- Participation in political and democratic life: An EU that empowers children to be active citizens and members of democratic societies
- Socio-economic inclusion, health and education: An EU that fights child poverty, promotes inclusive and child-friendly societies, health and education systems.
- Combating violence against children and ensuring child protection: An EU that helps children grow free from violence
- Child-friendly justice: An EU where the justice system upholds the rights and needs of children
- Digital and information society: An EU where children can safely navigate the digital environment, and harness its opportunities
- The Global Dimension: An EU that supports, protects and empowers children globally, including during crisis and conflict
In 2017, the EU adopted the revised EU “Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child - Leave no Child Behind.” The Guidelines set out the EU's overarching strategy to strengthen efforts to ensure every child, in particular the most marginalized, is reached by EU policies and actions. The Guidelines promote a systems-strengthening approach which identifies all the necessary measures, structures and actors which need to be in place to protect all the rights of all children. The importance of a rights-based approach and acknowledging children as agents of change is also underlined.
The Special Representative works with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Delegations of the EU to the United Nations in New York and Geneva to advance children’s protection from violence.
Further information on the European Union’s work to promote children’s rights and tackle violence against children may be found here:
https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/human-rights-democracy_en
Governance Structures
Council of Europe Programme - Building a Europe for and with Children
Council of Europe Platform on Children's Rights
European Union Forum on the Rights of the Child
Political Declarations
Council of Europe Committee of Ministers
Council of Europe Strategy on the Rights of the Child (2016-2021)
Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2012-2015)
Council of Europe Strategy - Building a Europe for and with children (2009-2011)
Council of Europe Guidelines on child friendly health care (2011)
Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on child friendly justice (2010)
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation on alternatives to the immigration detention of children (2014)
Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation on Children’s Right to physical integrity (2013)
Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation on Education against violence at school (2011)
Parliamentary Assembly Recomendation on Children who witness domestic violence (2010)
Council of Europe Conferences
Conference on "Preventing sexual abuse of children" (2013)
The role of international cooperation in tackling sexual violence against children (2012)
Stepping up progress in combating violence against children (2012)
Launch of the council of Europe campaign to stop violence against children (2010)
European Union
Council conclusions on the promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child (2017)
EU revised Guidelines on the promotion and protection of the Rights of the Child (2017)
European Union Agenda for the Rights of the Child
European Union Guidelines for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child
EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy
European Union - Investing in children: breaking the cycle of disadvantage
Violence against children with disabilities: legislation, policies and programmes in the EU
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights - Publications
Human Rights Standards
European Convention on Human Rights
European Social Charter (Revised)
European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
European Convention on the Adoption of Children (Revised)
Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime
Cross Regional roundtables joint statements