SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY, MR MEVLÜT ÇAVUŞOĞLU, AT THE FIRST MEETING OF CONTACT PARLIAMENTARIANS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE CAMPAIGN AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

(26 January, room 5, 2:35 pm)

Deputy Secretary General,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear colleagues,

Every child is a person who, like every other human being, is born free and equal in dignity and rights. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantees the right of all children to be protected from “all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse”. However, it is estimated that one child in five becomes a victim of sexual exploitation or abuse of some form at least once in their life-time. These figures are frightening. Each and every one of us should feel concerned.

All of us who are here today do feel concerned. Any form of violence against children is an unacceptable crime which erodes the moral foundations of our society. Sexual violence against children is one of the worst forms of violence and a grave violation of the fundamental human rights and freedoms which we, at the Council of Europe, stand for.

The Council of Europe has developed a legal instrument to protect children and to provide assistance to victims: this is the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (the Lanzarote Convention). We can say without exaggeration that it is the most comprehensive and most innovative instrument worldwide today, as it even refers to very recent forms of child abuse, for example through new media and the Internet.

The Lanzarote Convention came into force on 1 July 2010. But for the Convention to protect all our children, all Council of Europe member States need to sign, ratify and implement it. The Parliamentary Assembly fully supports the Council of Europe campaign “One in Five” to stop sexual violence against children, which was launched in Rome on 29-30 November 2010. The focus of the parliamentary dimension of the campaign will be on associating national parliaments with the campaign and promoting the Lanzarote Convention.

Dear colleagues, friends,

I am very proud of the fact that the Assembly will be playing an active role in this new campaign. Once again, the intergovernmental sector and the Assembly will be working “hand in hand” on such an important project.

Parliamentary action is crucial to the success of this campaign. National parliaments are amongst the main stakeholders both when it comes to promoting international legal instruments and raising the awareness of the general public. The promotion of Council of Europe conventions by the Parliamentary Assembly has already proved useful in former campaigns, such as the Convention against the Trafficking in Human Beings where parliamentary action clearly contributed to further ratifications. As President of the Parliamentary Assembly, during my official visits as well as in my meetings with the Speakers of Parliament and Chairs of national delegations, I will invite national parliaments to participate fully in this new campaign.

I am pleased to announce that, by the time of this meeting, 28 contact parliamentarians have been appointed and form the parliamentary network of the Council of Europe campaign. I would like to thank all parliamentarians having reacted so quickly to my invitation, and invite all delegations who have not yet appointed their contacts to do so as soon as possible, so as to join this important movement against a human rights violation that asks for committed action.

Moreover, I am pleased to officially launch the Handbook for parliamentarians to which you have just been introduced by the Secretariat. This handbook is a tool which will allow us, as Parliamentarians, to better understand and promote the Lanzarote Convention, which is a complex instrument.

We need to unite in combating sexual violence against children. Let us mobilise the means at our disposal as parliamentarians and contribute to a society in which our children may grow up happily and safely in their “circles of trust” and have the chance to live fulfilled and happy adult lives.

I wish the network of contact parliamentarians a dynamic campaign over the next four years! I am sure that together, we will make the best use possible of the tools that are provided to us today and those that will follow.

I’m sure that through this campaign and with strong commitment, dedication and hard work we will manage to make our children’s world better!

Thank you for your attention.