Council of Europe seminar tackles children issues

Sharon Attard, manager of research and policy within the Office of the Commissioner for Children, recently attended a one-day seminar at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, as a member of the European Network of Ombudsmen for Children (ENOC).

The seminar was intended to enhance co-operation between the ENOC and the Council of Europe. In sharing priorities and objectives, the ENOC and the Council of Europe discussed ways in which they could join forces in concrete actions performed in the best interests of the child.

The seminar gave particular attention to the need for increasing children's participation, as well as the importance of promoting positive parenting (partly through the abolishment of corporal punishment).

It was agreed that a total ban on violence against children should be put into place for children to be granted their due dignity and respect. Any alternative to this would jeopardise the child's inherent human dignity and promote the image of children as belongings for whom violence is an acceptable disciplinary measure.

It is imperative that a zero tolerance approach is adopted on this issue, giving particular emphasis to minors. The positive parenting message should be given due importance for parents to be supported to carry out responsibilities effectively in a non-violent manner.

The conference also raised the issue of fighting racial discrimination and intolerance through school education, aimed at increasing sensitivity towards cultural diversity and promoting intercultural dialogue. Recent migration trends throughout Europe have highlighted the urgent need for such measures to protect the rights of children coming from such vulnerable groups who are at risk of ethnic discrimination.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is vital for the due recognition of children's rights in this respect and should be used as a basis for improving the status of children in all sectors.

The issue of children and the media was also brought forward, given the numerous advancements in recent years. It was noted that there is no mainstream drive on a European level towards the rights and lives on children online, and to this end it is important for organisations to stand up for the rights, dignity, and privacy of children.

There is a lack of mainstream instructions on how children should use devices such as mobiles and the Internet, which is increasingly important given that children spend a lot of time online. The focus on Internet should not portray it as being negative, but as a good educational and informational tool that should be used responsibly.

The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammerburg, referred to measures taken through the programme 'Building a Europe for and with children', aimed at promoting children's rights and protecting them from violence. Among other actions, the programme outlined measures towards child-friendly justice and paved the way for making justice processes more accessible to children.

It was decided that there would be an attempt to establish procedures on how the ENOC can further collaborate with the Council of Europe on these issues, among others. There was also a consensus on the need for improved co-operation between nationwide ombudsmen on specific topics, as well as the need for this co-operation to be further strengthened with the co-operation of the Council of Europe.

The Council said that the role of the ENOC was vital for feedback on the implementation of recommendations and resolutions made, and plays an integral part in sharing relevant information, approaches and strategies that are conducive to the full recognition of children's rights in Europe.