Council of Europe Policy Guidelines on Integrated National

Strategies for the Protection of Children

from Violence

By Lioubov Samokhina

Mandate:

- 2005 Warsaw summit – launch an action plan to address social, legal, health and educational dimensions of violence against children

- the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

- the UN Study on Violence against Children

The UN Study on Violence against Children:

- to develop, by 2007, a national strategy to prevent and combat all forms of violence against children

■act as regional initiator and coordinator of national and regional initiatives to combat violence against children

■serve as the European forum for follow up to the recommendations included in the UN Study

■support the adoption and implementation of integrated national strategies in member States

►Council of Europe Strategy on the Rights of the Child (2009-2011):

► Pilot project

Four volunteers: Italy, Norway, Portugal and Romaniain-depth national reviewsbottom-up consultations with all stakeholdersmultidisciplinaritydevelopment of a model integrated strategyopen debate on the text

► Guidelines: objectives

Help decision makers and stakeholders develop integrated strategies to promote the rights of the child and eradicate all forms of violence against childrenServe as a navigation chart (international and European human rights standards)Foster a culture of respect for the rights of the childAfford better protection from violence

Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child:

Violence – “all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse…”

Prevention of violence:

•Education in children’s rights

•The training of professionals in contact with children

•Sensitisation of the media and the new technology sector

• Creation of child-friendly services and mechanisms

Integrated National Strategyagainst violence:

multi-faceted and systematic framework

with specific time frame with realistic targets coordinated and monitored supported by adequate

human and financial resources

based on current scientific knowledge

CoE Network of focal points on the rights of the child:

– act as a liaison between the Council of Europe and child protection authorities at national, regional and local levels;

– co-ordinates the preparation of national responses on issues relevant to several policy areas;

– co-operate with the Council of Europe on the adoption and implementation of national strategies against violence

Follow up (2010-2011):– Translation into at least 10

languages– Regional awareness-raising

seminars– Invitation to countries to pilot

the Guidelines– Technical assistance– Campaign against sexual

violence (as from autumn 2010)

Regional and localdimension:

Importance due to proximity to children and families

Decentralisation process Privatisation of social

services

Co-operation and networking State/region and

state/regional/municipal fora Multidisciplinary networking Monitoring quality standards Multisectoral approach Allocation of resources Transnational dimension

Regional and local dimension – guiding principles:

www.coe.int/children

children@coe.int

Illustrations: G. Pagonis and E. Puybaet, L.Klaver

© Council of Europe

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