Physical and humiliating punishment
This is the most common form of violence against children worldwide. It includes any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light, as well as non-physical forms of punishment that are cruel and degrading.
All CBSS member states have banned physical and humiliating punishment in all settings. In promoting promising continued progress towards a global ban, the Expert Group developed a broad partnership in the context of the Non-violent Childhood project, including Ministries and other national authorities, academia, civil society and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children.
Sexual Violence
The Expert Group has an observer status to the Lanzarote Committee, which monitors the implementation of the Council of Europe Lanzarote Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. This Convention is standard setting in Europe and establishes concrete measures to prevent sexual violence, to protect child victims and to prosecute perpetrators. Participation in this group allows us to both contribute and learn from regional initiatives implementing CoE law and policy in the areas of child sexual violence.
Trafficking
The Expert Group regularly participates in regional fora to prevent and combat child trafficking and exploitation, including the Nordic Network against Trafficking in Children and the OSCE Alliance Expert Co-ordination Team, providing opportunities to promote outcomes from the BSR and previous projects, including the storytelling method to hear the views of survivors called “Listen Up!”. Partnerships in this area are coordinated with the CBSS Task Force on Trafficking in Human Beings (TF-THB).
