The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy started today its 15th annual conference in Geneva, Switzereland.

Geneva, Mar.17 (DP.net).– The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy is a major conference that shines a spotlight on urgent human rights situations that require global attention. It provides human rights heroes, activists and former political prisoners with a unique platform to testify about their personal struggles for democracy and freedom, while building an international community to take on dictatorships.

The Summit is held around the main annual session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, when foreign ministers gather in Geneva, to force critical issues onto the international agenda. The 14th Geneva Summit will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, on the heels of the main session.

The event is attended by hundreds of dissidents, victims, diplomats, journalists, student leaders and other concerned citizens.

 Strasbourg, Nov.5.– This year’s theme of the European Day is “Getting it right: ensuring child-friendly justice through Barnahus structures in Europe”. The European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse was established by the Council of Europe in 2015.

On 16 November, a high-level event will be organised by the Council of Europe and the Council of the Baltic Sea States, under the Icelandic Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers (Palais de l’Europe, room 1). Welcoming remarks by Minister of Education and Children of Iceland on behalf of the Presidency Ásmundur Einar Daðason, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, and Director General of the Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat Grzegorz Posnanski (video message) as well as the keynote speech delivered by Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children Najat Maalla M'jid (video message) will be open to media (from 2 to 2.30 pm).

At its plenary meeting on 15-17 November, the Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child will launch a child-friendly version of the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2022-2027). Protecting children from violence, including sexual abuse, is one of the objectives of the Strategy. The Committee will also consider for approval the draft recommendation containing Guidelines on strengthening reporting systems on violence against children.

On 17 November, the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) will launch a new short film on the topic of sexual abuse of children in sport “The Playing Field”. The film has been conceived and directed by award-winning French film-maker Roland Edzard; it is a follow-up to his successful 2013 film “The Lake”, which focused on sexual abuse within the circle of trust. The new film will be available sub-titled in several languages.

Contact: Tatiana Baeva, tel. +33 3 88 41 21 41