Vulnerable children on the run, a European challenge.

Expert conference under the Belgian Presidency of the EU 17 & 18 November 2010, Royal Palace, Brussels.

For over a decade, Belgium has been at the forefront of the fight against missing and sexually exploited children. Tremendous progress has been made in Belgium, Europe and even worldwide since the previous Belgian Presidency in 2001, including the creation of Child Focus (BE), Missing Children Europe (EU) and the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (worldwide). The Belgian “public private partnership” has been used as a model across Europe and is being implemented increasingly in different EU Member States. Meanwhile and supported by the advocacy of Missing Children Europe, the problem of missing and sexually exploited children has been addressed more and more at the level of the EU.

Despite these developments, many challenges in addressing the cross border problems of missing and sexually exploited children remain. An ambitious European action plan in addressing challenges is needed, in particular regarding the often overlooked category of vulnerable children on the run.

In order to address these issues, Child Focus, Missing Children Europe and the Belgian Ministry of Justice will cooperate in organizing a European expert conference on 17 & 18 November 2010 the occasion of the Belgian Presidency of the EU.

Confirmed speakers at the conference include Queen Paola of Belgium, Vice President of the European Commission Viviane Reding, the Belgian Minister of Justice, Sir Francis Jacobs (President of Missing Children Europe) as well as several distinguished experts among whom Martin Houghton Brown (CEO of Missing People, UK), Eva Kerpel (Head of International Affairs of Kek Vonal, Hungary), Jan De Ridder (Advisor Youth at Cabinet of the Flemish Minister of Family), Cédric Visaret de Bocarmé (Public Prosecutor, Liège) and Dr. Kristine Kloeck (CEO of Child Focus).

Please download here the final reccomenations that were agreed upon by participants: Recommendations for EU coordinated action final.pdf