We work to ensure the viability of plans on combating online violence against children and adolescents at the regional level
Members of working groups on combating online violence from Kyiv, Vinnytsia and Lviv regions of the The project «Empowering Law Enforcement in Overcoming Online Violence against Children», which has been implemented by a consortium of civil society organizations with the financial support of the European Union since January 2022, gathered in Lviv for a seminar on combating online violence against children and adolescents: ways to ensure the viability of the developed plans at the regional level.
”The purpose of this seminar was to discuss with our partners from the target regions a draft strategic approach to combating online violence against children and adolescents at the regional level, to increase the competence and capacity of interested partners to prevent and counteract online violence among adolescents, and in general — to ensure the realization of children's rights in cyberspace. — says project coordinator Natalia Lukianova. — To this end, we are working and discussing with regional partners in Lviv and Vinnytsia regions and the city of Kyiv the possibilities of advocacy, communication and best practices for preventing online sexual violence among children and youth.”
During two days on June 28-29, 2023, 20 children's rights specialists, social workers and representatives of the national police of the project's target regions developed skills for effective interaction, advocacy, communication and opportunities for teaching adolescents to combat online violence with a focus on adolescent girls. Most of the materials used for the seminar were developed in accordance with the best international experience of the EU member states. In addition, the partners presented their work plans developed this year and discussed existing resources and opportunities at the regional level to ensure the viability of the planned activities in the future.
“Effective cooperation in partnership with law enforcement, education workers, children and family services, studying and sharing colleagues' experience in protecting children's digital rights is extremely important, as these joint actions are aimed at providing guarantees and developing the necessary tools so that children can develop and learn in a safe environment. — emphasized the regional project coordinator in Kyiv Kateryna Polishchuk. — It is imperative that children have all the necessary skills to identify threats and are fully aware of the consequences of their behaviour in the digital environment, and it is the task of social work actors to provide this opportunity.”
Background information:
The three-year project "Empowering Law Enforcement in overcoming online Violence against Children" is implemented by the All-Ukrainian Charity “Child Well-Being Fund Ukraine”, the All-Ukrainian Public Centre “Volonter” and the NGO "Labour and Health Social Initiatives" with more than 400 000 EUR of financial support from the European Union. The pilot regions are Kyiv, Vinnitsa and Lviv oblasts. The project's duration is 2022-2024.
