Daphne Programme 2000-2003: action relating to violence against children, young persons and women

The Commission's amended proposal incorporates 26 of the 36 amendments approved by the European Parliament in its first reading. 16 of the amendments were incorporated in their entirety, 4 in part and 6 with minor re-wording. The Commission did not, however, subscribe to the approach advocated by the European Parliament which called for the programme to work towards combating, and not simply preventing, violence against children, young people and women, using a variety of measures. Among the important European Parliament amendments taken up by the Commission were those that seek to: - re-define acts of violence as constituting a breach of the right to life, safety, freedom, dignity and physical and emotional integrity of the persons concerned, and stressing social and economic costs to society, in addition to being a major health scourge, - make reference to the World Health Organisation·s definition of health as being 'a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity', - establish the DAPHNE programme in the context of the fight against the sexual abuse and exploitation of women, children and young persons within a multidisciplinary framework, - ensure that there is a balance maintained between the programme's two target groups (women and children), - open participation in the programme to the applicant countries in accordance with conditions laid down in the Association Agreements or Additional Protocols related thereto, - ensure that DAPHNE is a programme that works towards ensuring a high level of physical, mental and social well-being of the persons concerned, - involve more actively NGOs and other voluntary organisations (in particular those concerned with public health, education and development). The annexes were also amended in order to take account of a number of the European Parliament·s amendments: - support for the establishment and strengthening of multidisciplinary networks involving NGOs from different Member States and the participating applicant countries in order to ensure co-operation in the prevention of violence, - support for innovative projects aimed at preventing violence and sexual exploitation of women, children and young persons and support for the rehabilitation of victims as well as the effectiveness of repressive measures, - awareness raising among the general public about violence against women, children and young people, including about trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, commercial sexual exploitation and other sexual abuse, - support for the stimulation and exchange of best practice at Community level on the support and protection of children, young persons and women at risk, help to victims (psychological and medical assistance, training and reintegration into social and working life), procedures to ensure the interests of children, young people or women who are victims of violence, - support for measures to increase the reporting of violence and sexual exploitation. The Commission, on the other hand, did not take up the European Parliament's amendments that seek to link this programme with the programme on injury prevention, as well as the amendments relating to comitology (creation of a forum of NGOs to assist the committee) and keeping the Parliament informed about the progress of the programme. The Commission did not accept the Parliament's amendment relating to the rehabilitation and re-insertion into society of offenders.�