Prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation in Central and Eastern Europe – a comprehensive approach

On 13-14 October 2014 the kick of meeting of the project „Prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation in Central and Eastern Europe - a comprehensive approach" was held in NCF's premises in Warsaw. Main goal of the project - to prevent sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children in Central and East European countries - will be achieved through joint efforts of leading child protection NGO's from Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland and Ukraine over a five year period (2014 - 2019). The project will be coordinated by Nobody's Children Foundation from Poland.
In the initial stage of the project the research on links between sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children will be conducted in order to get better understanding of the phenomenon, provide the evidence base for developing adequate and effective prevention measures and reinforce campaigns' messagings and lobbing activities. In the next stage project partners will undertake simultaneous actions in three different fields. Raising awareness activities will address general society to sensitize it to the problem of sexual exploitation of children, change the perception of adolescents- victims of exploitation, reduce societal tolerance towards this phenomenon and encourage to decisive action against it. Prevention programmes will be developed to build capacity of professionals and parents and equip them with tools enabling them to empower and support children and youth in becoming resilient and capable of identifying risks in real world and online, asking for support and dealing with difficult situations when they occur. Lobbing activities addressing local and central authorities will focuss on obligatory introduction of child protection policy and standards in education sector which will be a step forward to systematic approach to child protection from abuse and exploitation.understanding and standards of prevention and intervention across the six countries.