Protection of children\'s rights in the European Union law and the establishment of a network for the prevention of sexual abuse and exploatation

Gordanić Jelica (Institut za međunarodnu politiku i privredu, Beograd), jelica@diplomacy.bg.ac.rs

Over the past ten years, we have witnessed the rapid development of the Internet and digital technologies. All new technical achievements have enriched people’s lives, but they have also brought numerous dangers, especially for children. Unlike adults, children are at much greater risk of various types of inconvenience, abuse, exploitation both in the digital and real world. States and international organizations are taking various measures to protect children from the dangers lurking on the Internet. The paper discusses the decision of the European Commission to establish an expert group that serves as a Network for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse. The Network is tasked with assisting the Commission in the preparation and implementation of policies and measures to prevent the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. It also coordinates between the Commission, Member States, relevant researchers, field officers and other stakeholders on issues related to the implementation of Union legislation, programmes and policies in the field of the protection of children’s rights in the digital and offline worlds. The analysis also pays attention to other European Union (EU) initiatives aimed at protecting children’s rights both online and offline, and discusses the importance of this Network for the Republic of Serbia. The paper concludes that the EU is taking the necessary measures to protect children from the dangers and manipulations brought about by new and increasingly sophisticated technology.

Keywords: Children, Internet, EU, digital technologies, prevention, European Commission, Child Abuse Prevention Network