“Tell someone you trust” www.coe.int/EndChildSexAbuseDay

18 November is the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. Ukraine marks this day together with other European countries. It is estimated that every 9 minutes a webpage shows a child being sexually abused and about 1 in 5 children in Europe are victims of some form of sexual violence with 70-85% of cases the abuser is somebody the child knows.

The Council of Europe, the President’s Representative for Children, the NGOs La Strada, Magnolia, Child Well-being Fund Ukraine, Kyiv School of Equal Opportunities, National Children’s Council and Olvia call for joint action and effective measures of authorities, civil society, international and specialised organisations to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse in Ukraine.

The Council of Europe Convention for the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, also known as the “Lanzarote Convention”, is to date the most ambitious and comprehensive international legal instrument on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. Ukraine is party to the Lanzarote Convention since 2012 and under the obligation to establish specific legislation criminalising such behaviour and take measures to prevent sexual violence as well as protect child victims and prosecute perpetrators.

To mark the European Day and raise awareness on the incidence and consequences of child sexual exploitation and abuse in Ukraine, the Council of Europe supports the joint “Tell someone you trust” campaign of six civil society organisations:

• NGO “La Strada” targets parliamentarians and journalists through press events on 17 November at Verkhovna Rada and Media Crisis Centre and the general public through internet and media flashmobs to take action to ensure the Government of Ukraine fulfil its commitments under the Lanzarote Convention.
• All Ukrainian NGO “Magnolia” broadcasts live TV programme “Without Taboo” on "ChP.INFO" (ЧП.INFO) TV channel and hosts interactive video blogs.
• All-Ukrainian Charity "Child Well-being Fund Ukraine" trains and sensitises up to 414 professionals working with children and parents through webinars and distribution of education materials.
• NGO “Kyiv School of Equal Opportunities” organises interactive and participative activities for 800 children aged between 8-16 years from 24 regions of Ukraine at the Artek camp in Kyiv on 17-18 November on the subject of “safe behaviour in the Internet”.
• Public Association “National Children’s Council” raises awareness on the incidence of violence against children in alternative care institutions through activities training children and young people living in these institutions on their rights and targeting their mentors on identifying and reporting suspected cases of violence.
• Pervomaisk Youth Women's Information and Coordination Centre "Olvia” organises a regional campaign targeting local authorities, professionals and the general public in Pervomaisk region through round table events, flasmobs, banners and broadcasting of cartoons.

More information

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The final steering committee gathered representatives of the Ukrainian authorities who are the Council of Europe’s main partners in the Project: Ministry of Social Policy, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, General prosecutor Office, President Commissioner of Children’s rights, Ombudsperson Office, National School of Judges and National Academy of Prosecutors, NGOs and relevant committees of the Verkhovna Rada.

Key results achieved during the project’s implementation period of April 2017-February 2018, include the following:

With regard to combating violence against women

• Practical handbook for police officers on combating violence against women and domestic violence;
• Guidance for the running of shelters for victims of violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine;
• Guidance to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine with regard to a long-term approach to awareness-raising on violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine;
• Launch of the HELP course on Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence for legal professionals.

With regard to combating violence against children:

• Feasibility assessment of piloting Barnahus model in Ukraine: preventing and protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse;
• Mapping of relevant legislative, policy and procedural framework to identify priority areas for review in the context of the National Strategy on Institutional Childcare System Reform (2017-2026);
• Launch of the HELP course on Child-Friendly Justice for legal professionals – click here to access the HELP platform;
• Mapping of key NGOs working on the rights of the child and internet safety;
• Different target groups (parliamentarians, professionals, civil society organisations, children and general public people) were reached on the European Day on Protection of children against sexual exploitation and abuse through training and awareness raising campaigns – click here for more details.

The project steering committee members highlighted the importance of the work and their will to implement the recommendations. Regina Jensdottir, Head of the Children’s Rights Division, and Marta Becerra, Head of capacity building and co-operation projects Unit of the Equality Division of the Council of Europe, concluded the meeting by presenting an outline for two separate projects, “Combating violence against children in Ukraine, Phase II” and “Combating violence against women and domestic violence” to follow up and build on the progress already achieved under the next Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine (2018-2021). Feedback from the project steering committee will guide the planning and design of the next phases to further support Ukrainian authorities to strengthen their capacities to combat violence against women and children in the country.