WG – Judiciary and Fundamental Rights (Chapter 23) – Protecting children online from all forms of violence and abuse, 28 March 2024

The Roundtable for Chapter 23 within the Platform of Partnership for European Integration and the National Convention for European Integration framework, financed by the European Union and organized by the Ministry of Justice and the European Movement in Albania on March 28, 2024, brought together roundtable members and various actors from state institutions, civil society organizations, legal professionals, experts, and activists to discuss the protection of children online from all forms of violence and abuse. Panel experts during their presentations drew attention to critical issues related to child online protection and the prevention of crime against minors.

Gledis Gjipali, Executive Director of the European Movement in Albania, underlined in his opening remarks the importance of taking action on this novel legal issue. Gjipali made it clear that cooperation between state structures and civil society actors is essential and necessary to achieve tangible and meaningful results. He stressed that Albania is gaining a clear understanding of the best practices and experiences that can be emulated from a member state of the European Union thanks to the inclusion of Slovak expertise within the framework of the National Convention for European Integration.

Elona Bano, Director of Integration and Negotiations at the Ministry of Justice, provided a concise summary of the work being done by the Ministry and associated institutions in the context of the negotiation process for Chapter 23, with a focus on the accomplishment of the opening benchmarks for this chapter. Recently drafted, the Rule of Law Roadmap is a significant document that includes specific priority actions for cybercrime prevention and internet security. Bano further discussed the most recent developments in the measures and reforms aimed at educating minors about the dangers that the internet poses, stressing that this is still a challenging area to work in. She also brought up the ongoing work on the new Criminal Code and invited all actors in civil society to participate actively in the process of achieving comprehensive and noticeable results in co-governance.

JUDr. PhDr. Lilla Garayova, PhD., Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Pan-European University in Bratislava, Slovakia, presented a broad overview of protecting children online against different type of abuse and violence. Garayova made it clear that over 40% of children aged 9 to 16 who use the internet are involved in cyberbullying, exposed to harmful content, and privacy breaches. She further presented the platform called Stopline.sk, which fights against child abuse (such as child pornography, sexual exploitation, child prostitution, child trafficking, care for them, and others), manifestations that violate fundamental human rights and freedoms (intolerance, racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, anti-gypsyism, and others), content or other activities that indicate signs of criminal acts. Stopline.sk has seen a significant increase, including cases of online sexual abuse of children. The number of reports increased from 4,104 in 2016 to 6,609 in 2017, the majority of which were related to child pornography content. Garayova’s expertise in Slovak law and her extensive knowledge provided a complete understanding of the necessary legal framework to address these challenges at the national and European level. Dr. Garayova had the opportunity during her presentation to discuss legislative measures, international conventions, and the role of governments and interested parties in creating a safer internet environment for children.

Anda Hysi, from the Minors and Juvenile Crime Prevention Center, Ministry of Justice, gave a presentation on the work, mission, and activities of this Center where she is employed. Established in March 2021, the Minors and Juvenile Crime Prevention Center is a recently founded institution operating under the Ministry of Justice. The three main pillars on which this Center operates are: Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration, with a focus on minors and youth. Hysi added that the center carries out preventive activities through awareness-raising and informative campaigns to increase community awareness. This community will welcome minors upon the completion of their sentence or conditional release period. She provided practical approaches to prevent juvenile crime, including education, community engagement, rehabilitation programs, and cooperation among law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, and social services.

The panelists underscored the pressing need to tackle the risks that the internet poses to children and to put in place practical safeguards to ensure their safety. The panelists’ presentations spurred deliberations about the next steps, difficulties, and prospects in these vital fields of crime prevention and child protection. The recommendations and ideas from the roundtable members added value to the overall useful insights and strategies the activity offered to address these pressing issues in the digital age. The discussion also highlighted the increasing cooperation between state and non-state actors to unite forces, the significant role played by online media in education and information, and the presentation of content that does not always consider the digital protection of children, as well as the need for more information and awareness that targets not only minors but also parents, teachers, media representatives, and internet service providers.