Comprehensive response to child pornography in Bosnia and Herzegovina

"Comprehensive response to child pornography" project is a joint initiative of Centre for Inclusive Education and Save the Children Norway - SEE Regional Office aiming to strengthen the system for prevention of online sexual exploitation of children in Bosnia and Herzegovia. The project is implemented with the financial support of Save the Chidren Norway, the Bosnia and Herzegovina government and the OAK Foundation.

Information on the scope of the problem of commercial sexual exploitation of children, including child pornography in Europe (including in Eastern Europe and SEE) is available, though not always complete for certain countries. On the other hand, there is no comprehensive research of existing practices for prevention of child pornography.

In the frame of the project Center for Inclusive Education is conducting a study that has two major goals:

• to identify good practices that can be transferred to BiH;

• to present an overview of the existing system for prevention of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children in Bulgaria and suggest recommendations for future action.

The study will inform actions under the current project but will also provide a basis for future planning of actions against the spread of this problem in Bulgaria. The results from the study will be presented at a round table discussion in Sofia in May. The objective of the discussion is to have all major stakeholders in Bulgaria (institutions as well as NGOs and children) involved in working for prevention and fight with child pornography and online exploitation to discuss and identify and agree upon the most urgent measures to be taken in the near future to ensure a safer cyberspace for children.

The report of the overview and analysis of the situation in Bulgaria will be finalized after the round table and will reflect the comments and agreed decisions for the necessary future steps for action for strengthening the system for prevention of child abuse and the spread of child pornographic materials in the Internet. Upon completion of this process, the report will be officially presented in cooperation with Applied Research and Communication Foundation within the framework of an ongoing campaign - Safer Internet for children - You Choose!