Expert workshop “The implementation of EU Directive 2011/93 / EU on combating the sexual abuse of children with regard to children in migration” was held on 17 January 2018 in Brussels, Belgium, organized by the European Commission, Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs. Director of the Child and Youth Protection Center of Zagreb, Prof. Dr. Sc. Gordana Buljan Flander was invited to actively participate in the role of an external expert.
The first part of the workshop focused on migrant children in the reception countries with a specific focus on the risks of child sexual abuse and strategies for mitigation these risks. The experts in the six groups discussed the challenges and risks in the field of security of migrant children in the reception countries and possible strategies and initiatives that could help overcome these challenges. After plenary reporting on the work in expert groups and structured discussions, conclusions and suggestions of possible initiatives were made.
The focus of the second part of the workshop was on migrant children in transit countries, also related to the risks of child sexual abuse and risk mitigation strategies. The experts discussed the challenges and risks in the field of child security in transit countries, which also resulted in plenary discussion, conclusions and suggestions for possible initiatives.
The third part of the workshop dealt with migrant children in destination countries, and experts also discussed in three groups and made conclusions and suggestions for possible strategies and initiatives related to the security of migrant children in destination countries. At the end of the workshop, the participants and facilitators summed up and convey the main conclusions of the whole day workshop to all the participants.
Numerous experts from different fields participated in the workshop. Approximately fifty experts from various EU countries, experts in the field of child protection, law enforcement, crime prevention, police and inspectorates of different countries, the ministry of social policy, justice, labor and home affairs, health institutions, international and various non-governmental organizations and the FRA, UNHCR, UNICEF and the institutions that primarily deal with migration issues. Experts were from Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Slovenia, Portugal, Italy, Austria, France, Malta, Czech Republic, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland and international organizations, most of the European Union countries, including Croatia.
Directive 2011/93 / EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography was adopted on 13 December 2011 and obliges all EU member states in respect of the Directive and its current efforts to combat sexual abuse and exploitation of children. The full text of the EU Directive can be found at the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32011L0093&from=EN
