(AGENPARL) – ven 06 dicembre 2024 AS/SOC/projectchildren(2024)2
3 December 2024
The protection of children against online violence
To mark the annual awareness raising Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual
Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
Organised by the Italian Parliament & the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable
Development of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
In the framework of the PACE project
“Parliamentary action for the rights of the child 2024-2027”
9 December 2024
PARLIAMENTARY SEMINAR
Venue:
Italian Parliament
Chamber of Deputies
Nuova Aula dei Gruppi Parlamentari
Rome, Italy
CONCEPT NOTE
Violence against children in the digital environment is an increasing phenomenon
worldwide. New forms of violence, such as financial sexual extortion, have been
identified while the age at which children are first exposed to sexually explicit content
seems to be dropping significantly. Although access to the Internet is a great
opportunity for children, its use can generate grave risks, including violence,
exploitation and abuse.
In April 2024, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted
a report on “The protection of children against online violence”. Resolution
2547(2024) that accompanies the report calls on Council of Europe (CoE) member
States to take concrete actions, such as the establishment of a comprehensive legal
framework that protects children in the digital environment, the close co-operation
with stakeholders in the technology industry and the enhancement of international
and cross-border co-operation in protecting children from online violence.
The overall aim of the event is to improve the national follow-up of the different
measures called by the resolution. It is also aimed at taking stock of existing good
practices at the international and national level to better protect children against
online violence.
In this regard, it is recalled that PACE resolutions are addressed primarily to member
States of the Council of Europe and their authorities, including national parliaments.
By adopting national legislation, scrutinising the compatibility of the work of national
governments and parliaments with international standards and case-law and
allocating adequate resources, national parliaments are key actors for advancing
PACE agenda and better protecting children’s rights in CoE member States. By
reasons of their privileged access to the national population, national
parliamentarians are optimally placed to raise awareness of CoE standards at the
national level and can contribute to increasing the level of acceptance of international
and national measures that are taken in the best interest of the child.
The event is part of the CoE activities to mark the annual awareness raising Day for
the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (18
November).
Participants in the event will be PACE members, Italian parliamentarians and staff
members of the two Chambers of the Italian Parliament. National and international
experts, NGOs representatives and children contribute to the discussion. English and
Italian will be the working languages of the meeting.
The event is organised in the framework of the PACE project “Parliamentary action
for the rights of the child 2024-2027” which is funded mainly by the voluntary
contributions of Germany, Poland, France and Cyprus.
DRAFT PROGRAMME
2.00 – 2.30 PM
Opening remarks
Elisabetta GARDINI, Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Head of
the Italian delegation to PACE
Eugenia ROCCELLA, Minister for the Family, Birth Rate and Equal
Opportunities
Carla GARLATTI, Italian Ombudsperson for Children and Adolescents
(online)
SESSION I: PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM ONLINE VIOLENCE: STATE OF PLAY
2.30 – 3.30 PM
Simonetta MATONE, Member of the Justice Committee at the Italian
Chamber of Deputies, Moderator
PACE report on the ‘Protection of children against online violence’
Joseph O’REILLY, Senator, PACE member (Ireland)
Follow-up to the PACE report by Italy
Simona MALPEZZI, Member of the Italian Senate, co-submitter of the bill
for the protection of minors in the digital dimension (online)
Ernesto CAFFO, President of Fondazione SOS il Telefono Azzurro ETS
Marisa MARRAFFINO, Terre des Hommes Consultant and Digital Law
Expert
Questions and answers session
SESSION II: CHALLENGES AND WAYS FORWARD
3.30 – 4.45 PM
Moderator: Georgios STAMATIS, PACE member (Greece)
Protecting children from discrimination arising from intolerance, racism and
violence
Francesco VERDUCCI, Member of the Italian Senate and of the delegation
to PACE; Vice President of the Committee for combating intolerance, racism,
anti-Semitism and incitement to hatred and violence
Online violence and violent pornography: a gender perspective
Laura CASTEL, PACE member (Spain)
The experience of the Italian Postal Police
Maria Rosaria ROMANO, Director of Division II of the Postal Police and
Cybersecurity Service
Protecting children against online violence: the experience of Interpol
Mark BEAVAN, Coordinator of Crimes against Children Unit, Interpol
The role of the technology industry and actions taken
Chloe SETTER, Tik Tok
Children’s rights in relation to the digital environment
Triantafillos LOUKARELIS, Head of International Advocacy – UNICEF
Italian National Committee
Questions and answers session with the participation of Carmen LEYTE,
PACE member (Spain) and Georgios STAMATIS, PACE member (Greece)
4.45 – 5.00 PM COFFEE BREAK
SESSION III: CONCRETE EXPERIENCE OF CHILD PARTICIPATION IN COMBATING
ONLINE VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
5.00 – 5.45 PM
Moderator: Maddalena MORGANTE, Member of the Social Affairs
Committee at the Italian Chamber of Deputies
XXXXX, Italian Youth Council within the Office of the Italian
Ombudsperson for Children and Adolescents
Matteo SPANO’, President of the Italian Scout Federation
Giusy D’ALCONZO, Institutional Relations & Advocacy Manager at Save
the Children Italy
Antonio AFFINITA, General Director of MOIGE – Movimento Italiano
Genitori
Francesco MARCHIONNI, Deputy Presidential Advisor of the Italian Youth
Council
With the participation of Italian and Irish children
Questions and answers
5.45 – 6.00 PM
6.00 – 7.00 PM
Closing remarks Elena BONETTI, Member of the Italian Chamber of
Deputies, PACE member, PACE General Rapporteur on child participation.
VISIT OF THE PARLIAMENT’S BUILDING (reserved to PACE members
and children)