EC calls on Ireland to remember 58 missing children
The European Commission will today call on Ireland to remember its missing children.
Due to speak on International Missing Children’s Day, Commission vice president Franco Frattini will say that 58 Irish kids are officially listed as missing.
To date, a total of 3,568 disappearances have been recorded in the database kept by the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
Mr Frattini will say: “The protection and promotion of children’s rights is a key concern in the European Commission’s work.
“We are faced with a major social problem which nearly every day breeds tragedy and suffering.”
The vice president will say that the Commission was funding several programmes to tackle violence against children, trafficking and sexual tourism and improper use of the internet to distribute child pornography.
“But together with these repressive actions, the Commission is taking positive measures, for example to promote access to education for all children, including those belonging to minority ethnic and language groups,” he added.
International Missing Children’s Day aims to raise international awareness and spread a message of hope and support to distraught parents.
The Commission has adopted the forget-me-not flower as a symbol for the children.
A new set of proposals on children’s rights is set to be adopted by the Commission in July.
“We have made progress both in the legislative field and in the prevention and repression of offences against minors.”
“We have new rules on parental responsibilities and for protecting young people in the working environment.
“All in all, some 30 directives, recommendations or Green Papers relating to childhood have been adopted over the last five years,” Mr Frattini will say.
For more information on missing children, people can the Irish missing children’s website: www.missingkids.ie
Missing Childen’s Day is organised by the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children.
