[child-rights] Council of Europe prepares new treaty against sexual exploitation and abuse of children

Deputy Secretary General and the Italian Minister for Family Affairs
welcome the beginning of negotiations

Strasbourg, 13.09.2006 -- After talks with Minister Bindi, who is
attending the meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts
against sexual exploitation and abuse of children, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio
made the following statement:

"The key to effective protection of children from sexual exploitation and
abuse is to reinforce national measures and cross-border cooperation. The
Council of Europe has begun to prepare a new treaty to do exactly that.
The presence of the Italian Minister for Family Affairs, Ms Rosy Bindi at
the first round of negotiations for the new treaty shows the importance
the Italian government attaches to this issue as also evidenced by
national measures. Other Governments also strongly argue that the time has
come to move from concern to action and that common standards should be
established to protect children's physical and psychological integrity.

If the momentum of negotiations between governments is maintained, we
should soon have an effective new legal instrument offering a
ground-breaking approach to protect our children. Minister Bindi and
myself agree that the new treaty should provide for child friendly
judicial procedures, effective jurisdiction of the courts in Council of
Europe member states regardless of the offenders' nationality or
whereabouts, measures to render difficult or even impossible the
expiration of limitation periods for these crimes, effective,
proportionate and dissuasive sanctions, and substantially improved
international cooperation."

Council of Europe Press Division 
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60 
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11