The Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms, Dr. Halil Duković participated at the gathering, held on the occasion of the presentation of the Report on abuse of children via Internet, organized by the Institution of Ombudsman of Montenegro. The Presentation was also attended by the Chairperson of the Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Ms  Branka Tanasijević, MA, as well as members of the team that worked on research and drawing up the Report, representatives of the Government of Montenegro, NGOs and media. 

The Ombudsman of Montenegro Mr Šućko Baković said that the Institution of Ombudsman within the regional network of Ombudsmen for children in South-Eastern Europe (CRONSEE), in 2010 commenced implementation regional project “Improvement of position of the child with the aim of protection from all types of exploitation”, and that during 2011 and 2012, the first and second phase of the project were conducted which related to children begging and the protection of children from sexual exploitation. Given that research conducted showed that a number of children, victims of various forms of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, the first contact with the offender established via the Internet or modern information technology, it was decided that the Institution of Ombudsman actively participates in the third stage and carry out research on exploitation of children via the Internet. He recalled the results of research conducted in the framework of the Council of Europe, which shows that one in five children who use the Internet have experienced different types of abuse and unpleasantness using social networks on the Internet. Official statistics indicate that the children, aged 10-13 years, the victims of abuse of the Internet, and that one in four girl and one in six boys were somehow sexually harassed via the internet. Given that the Internet, with all its advantages and disadvantages is an integral part of the lives of a large section of the population, the problems faced by the larger and more pervasive. The Ombudsman of Montenegro said that the aim of the study was to demonstrate the knowledge and recognition of the dangers and risks of modern information technologies carry with them, as well as ways to protect children from abuse.

The Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms, Dr. Halil Duković said that the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms, in accordance with its responsibilities, established by the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro, is very dedicated to promotion and protection of children rights. He reminded that the Committee considered the Special report on children begging in Montenegro, drawn up within the first phase of the Project “Improvement of position of the child with the aim of protection from all types of exploitation”. Having in mind the severity of the problem of children begging as well as the consequences of the risk that life on the street has both on individual and the overall society, the Committee assessed consideration of this report as very significant with the intention to point out and remind the broad and professional public to the importance of prevention and solving this problem. He reminded that the Committee adopted the Special report on children begging in Montenegro with Conclusions and Recommendations and informed the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Justice with it,  which the Recommendations were directed to. Furthermore, he reminded that, upon the invitation of the Institution of Ombudsman of Montenegro, the Committee joined the second phase of the Campaign “Teach them something else!”.

The Committee also considered Report on Sexual Exploitation of Children in Montenegro, drawn up within the second phase of the Regional project: “Improvement of position of the child with the aim of protection from all types of exploitation”. The Committee accepted the Report, adopted the Conclusion supporting recommendations of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms and submitted to it to the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Tourism and Sustainable Development as well as Head of the Montenegrin Delegation to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe which conducts the Campaign “One in Five”, where Montenegro participates.

Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms stated that the Head of the UNICEF Office to Montenegro Mr Benjamin Perks announced that the UNICEF would join the Campaign of the CE “One in Five” in cooperation with the Delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro to PACE, and that the UNICEF Office would conduct, by the end of the April 2013, the research on topic “Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Phenomena Violence Against Children in Montenegro”, which would serve as baseline for overtaking all further activities by competent state authorities, for the purpose of preventing and suppressing violence against children.  After the data is collected, state authorities will be able to, depending on research results and actual problems, overtake clear and precise activities, and following specific period of time, the results will be gathered for the purpose of finding out the level of achieved progress, in this very delicate area.

Chairperson pointed out that the Committee would, in line with Plan of Activities for 2013, consider the Report on the Abuse of Children Via the Internet in Montenegro. In addition, he emphasized that, according to the Plan of Activities of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms, during the III quarter of 2013, organization of international conference was established, where the Final Report of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro would be considered. The Report was drawn up within the project “Improvement of position of the child with the aim of protection from all types of exploitation”, and that this activity would be organized in cooperation with the Delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, with participation of parliamentarians from the Committee on Human Rights of Western Balkans countries, CRONSEE Network, Council of Europe, Save the Children and international organisations based in Montenegro.

Mr Halil Duković Dr stated that the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms, in the part of its competences stipulated by the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro, would in the following period strive to contribute to affirmation, promotion, observation and protection of human rights and freedoms of all citizens of Montenegro, with special stress to the rights of a child.

Ms Andrea Žerarčić, Director of Save the Children, stating that significant activities were realized regarding strengthening of public consciousness on importance of protection of children from all forms of exploitation and abuse and strengthening capacities of institutions dealing with the rights of a child, emphasized that in the last three years 11 researches were realized in the region for the purpose of collecting relevant data on the right of a child. She emphasized that child abuse via the Internet was equally painful as any other form of abuse and that, according to psychologists, it had consequences as each other form of the abuse. The problem is that, in the majority of cases, the children are not aware that they become victims of abuse via the Internet, and they are not willing to talk on problems they are facing with. For problem solving, the education is crucial as well as providing of comprehensive information on possible abuse via the Internet, providing instructions on safe use of the Internet as well as building trust between children and parents.

Deputy Ombudsman of Montenegro, Ms Nevenka Stanković presented the research on child abuse via the Internet in Montenegro which had been implemented via the questionnaire addressed to the competent entities and organisations, organized focus groups with professionals and direct interviews with children. Information gathered via the questionnaire, addressed to all institutions and individuals which had a role in prevention of child abuse via information and communication technologies, including children, media and professionals in education and social system, law enforcement, judiciary, parent councils, NGO representatives, representatives of the internet and phone companies.

Standard questionnaires had been created for all relevant subjects dealing with protection of children and their interests within its competencies, and they have been addressed to the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Offices, the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office of Montenegro, the Supreme Court of Montenegro, the Agency for Electronic Communication and Postal Services and the Ministry of the Interior. Replies to the questionnaires were submitted by all the authorities.

For the purpose of research “Child abuse via the Internet” focus groups conducted with children, ages 10 to 13 and 14 to 18, as well as with parents and professionals, had been used as a method. There had been a total of 19 focus groups in Podgorica, Nikšić, Bar, Bijelo Polje and Kotor. Questions and guidelines of conversation with children had been conceptualised with a view to gathering the following information, opinions and positions from children: how much time they were spending surfing the Internet, what contents they used, how raised was their awareness on exploitation and abuse via the Internet, did they recognise certain behaviours as abuse or exploitation, what were their experiences, how much did they talk to their parents on this issue.

The interviews with NGOs dealing with protection of children on the Internet had been conducted, in addition to the analysis on the manners of the Internet use and possible abuses of children.

For the purpose of this research, legal analysis of relevant provisions of national legislation and their compliance with international document in this field had been conducted.

Based on the analysis of the results gathered via the questionnaire, it had been established that in 2011 and in 2012 in Montenegro, there had been total of four cases of exploitation of children via the Internet, and that in all four cases the victims were minors of female gender.

It had been estimated that neither children nor their parents were sufficiently informed on the manners of abuse via the Internet, and that there were no precise and clear procedures of conduct in the reported cases. It is necessary to provide continuous education of children from the youngest age on safe manners of the Internet use and undertake actions and measures regarding implementation of the campaign in order to raise awareness of professional and wider public on this issue.

A Psychologist Mr Radisav Šćekić pointed out that the problem of child abuse via the Internet in Montenegro was present, and in order to resolve it in a more quality and effective manner it was best to undertake timely preventive activities. A small number of reported cases do not show the real state of play, because many do not report abuses via the Internet, even though they face them.

Mr Velimir Rakočević, docent PhD, pointed out that the Criminal Code does not prescribe the criminal offence relating to the use of information and communication technologies for execution of criminal offences against the sexual freedom toward the minor. Exploitation of children on the Internet includes violence, exploitation, abuse and violation of children by the adults or their peers. It is necessary to undertake necessary measures to initiate harmonisation of Criminal legislation, in part referring to protection of children from abuse via the information technologies, with the international obligations and standards of the international law.

The Ombudsman recommended to form a unique and systematic database on all cases of child abuse via the Internet and undertake measures and actions to establish coordinated cooperation between the relevant authorities in order to establish effective policies and joint action on prevention of various types of child abuse via the Internet.