For the second consecutive year, the European Commission is supporting the International Missing Children's Day on 25 May, organized by the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children. A press conference and a special event with Vice President Franco Frattini, Mr Daniel Cardon De Lichtbuer, President of Child Focus and the Belgian singer Salvatore Adamo, UNICEF ambassador for children's rights, took place on 24 May in the Commission premises.
Vice-President Franco Frattini pointed out that "the Commission has for a long time been concerned about the protection of children and young people inside and outside of Europe. In occasion of the International Missing Children's Day I will ask to the entire staff to show their solidarity to families that have been affected by such a sorrowful scourge, pinning a 'Forget-me-not' flower".
The main purpose of the International Missing Children’s Day is to encourage the population to think about all the children still missing in Europe and around the world and to spread a message of hope and solidarity at international level to parents who have no news about their children and do not know where they are or what has become of them.
The problem of missing children is complex and multifaceted. It is today not possible to obtain comprehensive statistics across the European Union regarding missing and sexually exploited children. Data gathering is seldom organised at a national level and the available data are largely difficult to access and little or no details can be obtained.
The problem of missing children is complex and multifaceted. It is today not possible to obtain comprehensive statistics across the European Union regarding missing and sexually exploited children. Data gathering is seldom organised at a national level and the available data are largely difficult to access and little or no details can be obtained.
To give an indication on the extent of the problem in some European countries, the following statistics can be obtained from national sources:
In Italy, police records show that 1.850 minors went missing in 2005;
In Belgium, the number of dossiers reported by the police was 1.022 in 2005
In the UK, police recorded 846 cases of child abductions in 2002/03, while the total cases of missing children (runaways for any reason) is estimated at 70.000 annually.
In Italy, police records show that 1.850 minors went missing in 2005;
In Belgium, the number of dossiers reported by the police was 1.022 in 2005
In the UK, police recorded 846 cases of child abductions in 2002/03, while the total cases of missing children (runaways for any reason) is estimated at 70.000 annually.
To strengthen its actions in favour of children and young people, the Commission will issue a Communication “Towards an EU strategy on children’s rights” in July 2006. The communication will propose a wide action plan, with four major objectives:
To identify priorities for future EU action
To improve EU policies’ effectiveness vis-à-vis the Rights of the Child
To increase cooperation with stakeholders
To help children to enforce their rights
To identify priorities for future EU action
To improve EU policies’ effectiveness vis-à-vis the Rights of the Child
To increase cooperation with stakeholders
To help children to enforce their rights
Many actions have already been taken by the European Union to protect the rights of the child. Only during the past 5 years, around thirty directives, framework decisions or green papers have been adopted under several EC policy areas and with children as principal target.
In addition, the Commission provides funding through a dozen community programmes for actions in favour of children and young people.
In addition, the Commission provides funding through a dozen community programmes for actions in favour of children and young people.
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