A reflection on Lanzarote Convention of the Council of Europe for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse

Over the last decades, the sexual exploitation and abuse of children have been addressed by international organizations. Several instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography required the adoption of appropriate measures by States to counter with various forms of sexual exploitation and abuse of children. Considering the increasing number of cases of sexual exploitation and the need for the creation of a joint mechanism, the Council of Europe has approved the Lanzarote Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse on May 25, 2007. Despite the fact that the Council of Europe has been criticized, this Convention has led to the creation of new norms that are innovative in comparison with the previous one. In this article, while analyzing some of the most innovative rules of this Convention, the strengths and weaknesses of these rules are also highlighted. On the other hand, the examined rules wich reflect the new Council of Europe's approach, which, along with criminalization and other legal and judicial measures, emphasizes the need for the protection of child victims and the adoption of preventive and educational measures by governments.