Today, the Council of Europe’s Convention for the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (“Lanzarote Convention“) celebrates its 10th anniversary. The Convention which was opened for signature on 25 October 2007 on the Spanish island of Lanzarote, remains to date the most ambitious and comprehensive international legal instrument for the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
“The best estimate is that one in five children at some point faces sexual exploitation or abuse,” said Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, in her address to a conference dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Lanzarote Convention concluding in Strasbourg today. “The trauma of such experience can last a lifetime: disrupting formal education, marring career prospects and resulting in a whole variety of mental health problems.”
The Lanzarote Convention deals with prevention, protection and prosecution of sexual exploitation and abuse of children. It criminalises such offences as sexual abuse, child prostitution, child pornography, participation of a child in pornographic performances, corruption of children, as well as solicitation of children for sexual purposes (grooming). The Convention has now been ratified by 42 of the Council of Europe member States (all but Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom) and is open to States outside Europe.
“It is positive to see the way in which the Convention has raised awareness, laws have changed, and capacity to prevent and respond to sexual offences against children have improved in those countries that have signed it,” Deputy Secretary General added.
