Fact Check: Lanzarote convention do promote criminalization of homosexual relationships or just promote to protecting children and teenagers of sexual abuse and exploitation

Fact Check: "Lanzarote Convention promotes criminalization of homosexual relationships or just promotes protecting children and teenagers from sexual abuse and exploitation"

What We Know

The Lanzarote Convention, formally known as the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, is a multilateral treaty aimed at criminalizing various forms of sexual abuse against children. It was signed on October 25, 2007, and came into force on July 1, 2010, after being ratified by five states. As of May 2020, it has been ratified by 48 states, including all members of the Council of Europe (source-1, source-2).

The Convention mandates that signatory states criminalize sexual activity with children below the legal age of consent, regardless of the context. It also requires the criminalization of child prostitution and pornography. Furthermore, it sets forth measures to prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse, including the training and education of children, monitoring of offenders, and the screening and training of individuals working with children (source-3, source-4).

Analysis

The claim that the Lanzarote Convention promotes the criminalization of homosexual relationships is unfounded. The Convention is explicitly focused on protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse, not on regulating or criminalizing consensual relationships between adults, regardless of sexual orientation. The primary goal of the Convention is to ensure that all forms of sexual violence against children are treated as serious criminal offenses, which includes a wide range of abusive behaviors, but does not extend to consensual relationships between adults (source-5).

Moreover, the Convention's provisions are designed to enhance the protection of children and do not address the legality of homosexual relationships among adults. The emphasis is on preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse, which is a critical issue in many societies. The Convention's comprehensive approach includes preventative measures and obligations for states to implement effective legal frameworks to protect children (source-6, source-7).

The sources consulted are credible and authoritative, primarily stemming from the Council of Europe and organizations focused on children's rights. They provide a clear understanding of the Convention's objectives and the legal framework surrounding child protection (source-8).

Conclusion

The claim that the Lanzarote Convention promotes the criminalization of homosexual relationships is False. The Convention is dedicated to the protection of children from sexual exploitation and abuse, and it does not address or criminalize consensual relationships between adults. Its focus is solely on safeguarding children, making it a significant legal instrument in the fight against child sexual abuse.

Sources

1. Lanzarote Convention
2. Lanzarote Convention - Children's Rights
3. The Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of ...
4. Handbook on the protection of children against sexual ...
5. Child sexual abuse: International and European Law
6. Ending Child Sexual Abuse in Italy: A Human Rights View ...
7. ECPAT - A global network working to end the sexual ...
8. Lanzarote Convention on Protection of Children against ...