Statement by Iceland in the exchange of views with Ms Christel De Craim, Chairperson of the Committee of the Parties (Lanzarote Committee)
Council of Europe, Committee of Ministers, 1417th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies. Statement delivered by Sandra Lyngdorf.
Mr. Chair,
It is a particular pleasure to be able to exchange views with Miss De Craim just days before the 7th European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. We applaud the work of the Lanzarote Committee and particularly welcome its efforts to work with and leverage all stakeholders, within and outside the Council of Europe, to achieve our common objective.
The protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse is a fundamental duty of all States and we reconfirm our determination to fight child sexual abuse and exploitation through all means possible. To effectively counter all forms of sexual violence against children, we must join forces to keep these issues high on agendas at all levels.
We appreciate the Lanzarote Committee’s role not only in monitoring the implementation of the Convention but also in strengthening the capacity of its States Parties. Iceland has, and will continue, to raise the model of Barnahus for effectively investigating sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children and here, the Lanzarote Committee has and continues to play an important role in supporting States in their implementation of the Barnahus model.
But we must do more. In Iceland, we are attempting to do this by ensuring early intervention in such cases and other instances where children are vulnerable. Earlier this year, our Minister for Social Affairs spoke at the meeting of the Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF) on his new legislation on the integration of services for children and the so called “child well-being dashboard” which is a tool for early intervention.
Miss De Craim, how can States represented here support the integration in other fora of the Lanzarote Committee as a platform for combatting sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children?
I thank you.