The Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on the Prevention of Violence (ENF-VAE) met on 24 and 25 September 2024 to examine the first draft of the report on the state of implementation by member states of the Recommendation CM/Rec(2009)10 on policy guidelines on integrated national strategies for the protection of children from violence. The Committee had a fruitful exchange, focusing on the conclusions of the draft report, with a view to its submission to the Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF) for adoption. Focusing on the state of play of the prohibition of corporal punishment in Council of Europe member states, the Committee explored avenues to further contribute to its universal elimination. 

The Committee continued to focus on age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education. It began discussing the elements of a future Recommendation to be prepared on the basis of the Feasibility Study on age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education to strengthen – inter alia – preventing and combating violence, including risky or harmful sexual behaviour by children. The Committee was informed of the ongoing work to gather children's views on this subject, and shared views on groups of children that could be consulted. 

Finally, the Committee also welcomed the preliminary draft Guidance Note on Safeguarding children from the risks of accessing online pornographic content which emphasises the need for comprehensive sexuality education as one of the tools to minimise the harm of pornography. An updated version of the study on the Prevention of sexual violence and harmful or risky behaviour by children will also feed into the Committee’s work on this issue and will be published shortly.
 

Meeting report