MOSCOW, July 9 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s ombudsman for children’s rights said Tuesday that international protocols recently ratified by Moscow would distort sex education in schools and lead to the “destruction” of Russian children.
His concern was focused on a United Nations protocol and a Council of Europe convention that are designed to prevent child abuse by informing young students about sexual exploitation, including the sale of children into prostitution and child pornography. He said such education might run counter to Russian law.
“I would like … to warn our colleagues not to allow deviations in sex education that would actually become the first step toward the destruction of a child,” ombudsman Pavel Astakhov told reporters.
In April, Russia’s lower house of parliament approved the country’s accession to the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, and ratified the UN’s Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography.
Astakhov said he was particularly worried about clauses specifying that children should be educated about sexual exploitation.
The UN protocol was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2000, and the Council of Europe Convention came into force in 2010. Russia signed up to both in late 2012. To date, 46 countries have signed and 26 have ratified the Council of Europe convention.
Astakhov said he had sent a letter to Russian Education Minister Dmitry Livanov to clarify what alterations, if any, were intended to be made regarding to sex education in schools.
