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Listening to Anastasia Papadopoulos in her speech, I was reminded of all these reactions that we have been hearing lately in some areas of Cyprus, in the effort to implement the government's decision to create Homes for Children - because we need to look at children who are subjected to other forms of violence, not just sexually abused children. This is the kind of reaction we see, unfortunately, to the Government's attempt to build such homes, and to the Members who are present here, as Members of the House of Representatives, and as I understand it, because the issue was also tabled for debate in the House, I look forward to your support precisely to move forward with this decision of the Government. On the part of the executive, whatever the reaction, we will proceed, but I look forward to your support as well.
It is customary, on such occasions and events, to say that we are happy or even honoured to attend or welcome such events. But today, what mainly overwhelms me is the feeling of debt. A debt to the Council and the President of the Voice, Mrs. Anastasia Papadopoulou, a debt to the children they support, a debt to our own society.
I feel it is my duty to be here tonight, continuing what the previous government started and we must salute it. Anastasia referred to the late Zeta. I remember in the Cabinet discussions how from the very first moment she embraced the proposals, your initiative, and how she fought for them to be implemented. I feel it is my duty to be at today's event because, without any exaggeration, it is the action of the Voice that has been instrumental in enabling our society to overcome, at least to some extent - there is much more to be done - the taboos that have pervaded it. The sexual abuse of children has been and unfortunately still is a real problem, a social pathogen that can only be reduced through persistent and systematic effort. Only through reaction, only through denunciation, only through the promotion of preventive measures, actions such as those developed and supervised by the Voice, can this pathogenesis be effectively addressed.
At the same time, I strongly believe that the concentration of all the competent services for handling cases of sexual exploitation and abuse of children, such as the Police, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, in a protected and child-centred space, the "Children's House", contributes positively to a holistic approach to the phenomenon and to the management of the most sensitive issues concerning children and even abused children. And here, allow me to quote some numbers that are indicative of the Voice's contribution to this struggle. From the 138 complaints we had in 2017, through the information, actions and training provided by the Voice, we reached 303 complaints in 2022. And I'm sure that over time, with the continuation of this effort, unfortunately, that number will be higher. Nevertheless, the message was clearly sent, "break the silence."
This was the message of the Council of Europe's "one in five" campaign, which succeeded in promoting the ratification of the Lanzarote Convention, which was the first international, comprehensive legal framework to combat sexual abuse and exploitation of children, as well as child pornography.
The campaign, initially through the Commissioner for the Protection of Children's Rights and Hope for Children and subsequently through Phoni, succeeded in raising awareness in Cyprus as well. The creation and operation of the "Children's House" in Nicosia played a decisive role in the success of the whole effort.
The "Children's House", designed as a protected and child-friendly environment, houses all the competent services involved in the investigation of incidents and the support and protection of children and their families who have experienced any kind of sexual abuse.
The actions and work of the Voice are obviously not limited only to what I mentioned above since the whole offer is multi-level and socially beneficial, as Anastasia presented to us in detail.
Tonight I feel particularly happy because the Voice is the first practical application in Cyprus of the philosophy, of multidisciplinary action and addressing an issue/problem, a huge challenge that we have to face. The Voice, its action and its projects are proof that cooperation and coming together for a higher purpose can have successful results.
The Council, which has been institutionalized since 2018, is composed of both competent government agencies and representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) appointed by the Council of Ministers. As the central institutionalised body responsible for the coordination and supervision of all actions related to the fight against sexual abuse and exploitation of children and as Cyprus we had the great honour to present ourselves - usually we are a bad role model, but in this case precisely because of the important work done at the Voice - as one of the three countries as a model for its way of action and effectiveness.
This success for our country was by no means accidental. It is due to the unremitting efforts of the President and the members of the Council, in close coordination and cooperation with all the relevant Ministries and of course the Police. Above all, it was the result of the dedication of Anastasia and the Voice Council to give a voice to the children who are the future of our society.000 euros that made the Council's activities possible, as well as to the Hellenic Ladies' Association "Enosis" that donated the house that today houses the "House of the Child" in Nicosia, following the initiative of their then President Mrs. Lia Tseriotis. The Association also undertook the renovation of this building with the financial contribution of the State. It is important to mention, and indicative of the great work being done, that the "Children's House" has embraced and supported more than 2100 children since it started operating in 2017. A thank you, then, which is very little compared to the enormous contribution you make to our fellow human beings.
As President of the Republic, I feel the need to express - and I am sure the feelings of the entire society - our thanks to two women who have led the fight against sexual abuse of children, my very good friend Stella Kyriakidou and my friend Leda Koursouba.
It was dear Stella who promoted the Agreement with the Council of Europe on the campaign, in her capacity as Head of the Cyprus Parliamentary Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Congress of Europe (PACE), and she also participated in the Steering Committee, as well as in many other activities within the campaign. At the same time she is known for her decisive contribution to the promotion and recognition of the work done in our country and by extension our country as a model by the Council of Europe.
We also honour our friend Leda who as Commissioner for the Protection of Children's Rights since 2010 has promoted the framework of the "Children's Home" through her exhibitions, while at the same time leading the fight for information and education in our children's schools and society in general.
All that was done by the previous administration, we welcome it, we acknowledge it and we are here to continue the very important work that was done.
Recognizing the crucial importance of the services offered by the "Children's Home" which operates in Nicosia, the Government is promoting the operation of a second "Children's Home" in Limassol which will cover the needs of the Limassol and Paphos provinces, while our plans include the establishment of a "Children's Home" in Larnaca to cover the province of Larnaca and the free province of Famagusta. At the moment they are served by the "Children's House" in Nicosia.
Some of the actions of the Recovery and Resilience Plan have secured a €15 million grant from the EU and include sexually abused children in Limassol. And I am sorry to say, some of the reactions we see do not represent the Cypriot society.
At the same time, we are promoting the expansion of services for all forms of child abuse involving physical, psychological and other forms of violence through such "Homes".
In conclusion, as a father of four children, I feel a multiplying debt and responsibility for the protection of all children. I stand and will continue to stand, as do all members of the Cabinet - the presence of Ministers here tonight is indicative of the importance we place - alongside every effort to build a stable, safe and healthy environment in which our children have the right to live. In this effort we need all of you as allies and fellow travellers.
(PM/EAθ/MΣ/GΣ)
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