The European Commission is preparing an action plan against online bullying, taking into account the voices of over 5,000 young people, as children spend a great deal of time in this environment, which offers many opportunities but also significant dangers, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Roxana Minzatu said on Monday.
"The European Union is fighting all forms of violence, placing child protection and protection against violence at the center of our social and human rights agenda. The recommendation targets integrated social protection systems and the European Child Guarantee. In this way, we ensure that every child grows up safe and protected. Together with the member states, we are creating child protection systems that are stronger, better coordinated and more responsive to the needs of every child, however, protection alone is not enough. Children must also be heard, and last year, some of the children in Europe told us what safety means to them, and their voices now guide our work, because no one knows better than children themselves how to break this silence around violence. Today, a large part of children's lives takes place online and the online environment offers them many opportunities, but also huge dangers. We must make sure that technology works for children, not against them. This is precisely why the Commission is preparing an action plan against online bullying, listening to the voices of over 5,000 young people," Roxana Minzatu mentioned at the Regional Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children.
She highlighted that next year, the European Commission will also promote a Digital Fairness Act to ensure the existence of a digital space with age-appropriate content for children.
She mentioned that in Ukraine, thousands of children have been abducted and illegally deported.
"I want to send a clear message: every abducted child must be returned. This is why, together with Ukraine and other partners, we will organise a summit of the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children. Then in Gaza, we are witnessing incredible suffering, and I commend UNICEF for its efforts to provide essential services, including through EU-funded initiatives. No child should go hungry or be caught in the crossfire of war. As President Ursula von der Leyen has said, hunger must never be used as a weapon of war. Protecting children from violence requires courage, urgency and perseverance. It demands us unity across all governments, local authorities, civil society and every community," the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission said.
The Regional Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children is taking place on Monday in Bucharest, as the phenomenon remains widespread across Europe and Central Asia.
The Conference is organised by Romania's Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity, in partnership with UNICEF and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children.
"Taking into account that violence against children remains widespread in Europe and Central Asia, with 63 percent of children aged 1 to 14 in Europe and Central Asia having experienced some form of violent discipline in the past month, Romania's Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity, UNICEF and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children are bringing together ministers, experts, international partners, individuals with lived experience and children to boost national and regional commitments, share best practices and strengthen action to end all forms of violence against children, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Sustainable Development Goals," the organizers said.
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