On the occasion of 1 June, which marks the International Day for the Protection of Children in several countries around the world, the Council of Europe reiterates its commitment to protect children’s rights and wellbeing, online and offline, through relevant treaties and effective mechanisms that function in synergy, namely the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (CETS No. 201, Lanzarote Convention) and the Convention on Cybercrime (ETS No. 185, Budapest Convention).
While the Lanzarote Convention sets the ground for criminalising sexual abuse and exploitation offences, the Convention on Cybercrime provides the relevant procedural framework for criminal investigations, the collection of electronic evidence and the facilitation of cross-border co-operation. The Convention is supplemented by the Second Additional Protocol on enhanced international co-operation and disclosure of electronic evidence (CETS No. 224) that includes additional and expedited tools for enhanced co-operation and disclosure of electronic evidence, such as direct co-operation with service providers in other jurisdictions or co-operation in emergency situations.
The Cyberviolence against children thematic page of the Cyberviolence Resource, initiated under the Octopus Project of the Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Division, focuses on gathering relevant information for practitioners to facilitate the protection of the rights of children in the digital environment. The resource provides the latest information on international and domestic legislation, initiatives, policies and strategies, as well as relevant case-law.
In May and October 2023, the Council of Europe, through the Octopus Project (based on voluntary contributions) and GLACY+ project (a joint European Union – Council of Europe endeavour), organised a training and a workshop for law enforcement representatives from Mauritius. These activities enabled participants to develop skills needed to lead effective online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) investigations and to manage offenders. In addition, the trained officers were granted perpetual access to the Child Protection System. Additional activities with implications on online child sexual exploitation and abuse have been organised in the past year within the framework of the projects implemented by the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC).
In the next period (5-6 June 2024), CyberSEE, a joint project of the European Union (DG NEAR) and of the Council of Europe for South-East Europe and Türkiye, will support the participation of key stakeholders in the AP Twins Annual Expert Meeting 2024 on Protecting Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, organised by Europol. Experts, practitioners, and stakeholders from around the world will exchange knowledge and insights on matters including the impact of artificial intelligence on child online safety, virtual reality, and other immersive technologies. Preventative measures, legal frameworks and strategic approaches for law enforcement and judicial authorities will also be discussed.
The Council of Europe is working across sectors to ensure human rights, including children’s rights, are upheld in cyberspace for all.
Convention on Cybercrime (ETS No. 185, Budapest Convention)
Cyberviolence Resource: Cyberviolence against children thematic webpage
GLACY+ Project webpage
CyberSEE Project webpage
Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC)