As part of Children’s Rights Day, which takes place on Friday 18 November, the Council of Europe stressed the need to ensure adequate justice for child victims of sexual exploitation and abuse, through the establishment of “Barnahus” (Children’s Houses) in Europe.
First introduced in Iceland in 1998, this model brings all relevant justice services under one roof, thus avoiding the revictimisation of children.
It has been recognised as a promising practice by the Committee of Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention).
Slovenia inaugurated a similar structure in 2022 with the support of the organisation and the European Union and similar projects are underway in Finland, Ireland and Spain.
The Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe announced that it had endorsed a statement initiated by Andorra, Belgium, Monaco, San Marino and Slovenia, joined by 40 Member States and Mexico, to support the implementation of the Barnahus model in Europe.
Link to the statement: https://aeur.eu/f/44y (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)