As part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Principality’s accession to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Department of External Relations and Cooperation held a high-level symposium on Monday, June 25, in Monaco.

In her opening remarks, HRH Princess Caroline of Hanover, President of AMADE Mondiale, said: “Together we must combine our efforts to eradicate the phenomenon of violence, in particular through the adoption and enforcement of laws that protect the possible victims. We must also fight violence by changing the attitudes and mentalities that perpetuate it, because any tolerance in this area is unacceptable. This is the commitment that HSH Prince Albert II, my brother, has taken for many years now by placing the promotion and protection of the Rights of the Child as one of his policy priorities.”

Following the speech of Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in charge of the issue of violence against children, a panel of experts met around the theme “Violence against against children in the context of family and school.”

The discussions were moderated by Jean-Charles Sacotte, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Economic Law of the Sea and Member of the Council of State.

Speakers included experts from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Council of Europe, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, human rights defenders, as well as representatives of non-governmental organisations.

The general conclusion of the symposium was delivered by Anne Eastwood, High Commissioner for the Protection of Rights, Freedoms and Mediation, in the presence of HRH Princess Caroline.