The European Parliament in a press release issued on Friday condemns sexual abuse against children in Afghanistan and calls on the Afghan government to eradicate such practices.

The European Parliament’s statement follows an article published last month by the UK's Guardian alleging that hundreds of schoolchildren were sexually abused in Logar province, which is southeast of Kabul. 

The European Parliament, which also highlighted human rights breaches in Russia and Burkina Faso, said it deplores the “widespread ongoing sexual abuse of thousands of boys and young men in Afghanistan, a practice locally known as bacha bazi, which constitutes child slavery and is prevalent in several provinces in the country.” 

The statement added that members of the European Parliament urge the Afghan authorities to eradicate such practices and to set up a national victim support helpline dedicated to children’s rights abuses. 

“They also urge the Afghan government to start a nationwide campaign to educate the general public about the prohibition of bacha bazi, as only a combination of law enforcement and education will make it possible to achieve the cultural change needed to eliminate such abuse,” the statement said.