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The Congress is contributing to the Council of Europe's ONE in FIVE Campaign which sets out to promote signature and ratification of the Lanzarote Convention, the main legal instrument on the subject. The Campaign also seeks to make all those concerned – children, their families/carers and society at large – more aware of the gravity of this form of violence and of what can be done to prevent it.

Aims and specific objectives of the local and regional dimensions of the ONE in FIVE Campaign

The overall aims of the ONE in FIVE Campaign at local and regional levels are to associate Congress members, local and regional authorities and their associations, as well as other partners (NGOs, civil society organisations, officials, professionals, decision-makers, media) with the promotion of the Campaign and to raise awareness of the Lanzarote Convention among local and regional authorities. By doing so, the Congress aims to bring about the adoption of child-friendly local and regional services, to protect children and help prevent sexual violence within the community.  The Current Affairs Committee will follow the implementation of the Campaign. [more...]

Pact of towns and regions to stop sexual violence against children

The aims and objectives of this Strategic Action Plan will be promoted and achieved principally through the Congress’s Pact of Towns and Regions to stop sexual violence against children, endorsed by the Congress Bureau in September 2012.

The Pact proposes a four-pronged approach of Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Participation - the four “Ps” - to be adopted by local and regional authorities in their efforts to combat sexual violence against children.  The challenge to Europe’s towns and regions when dealing with these cases is to raise awareness of the issue, to develop and implement community-based action plans and strategies to address the four “Ps”, and to invest in better services.  All services and actions must be respectful of children’s rights, put the child’s best interest first, and enable children’s voices to be heard, in order to deliver locally what children and families need to stop sexual violence and sexual abuse, as well as to bring perpetrators to justice. [more...]