Justice and Consumers

Dear Readers, with the spring comes this rights of the child newsletter. The EU Children's Participation Platform has grown and has members in 24 EU Member States. The adoption of the Recommendation on integrated child protection systems – coming soon and it is still possible to send your application for funding under the Daphne call. Stay tuned and scroll down to see what has happened and what opportunities are still available.

The EU Children’s Participation Platform launched an its second online survey for children across Europe to hear what they think about different ways of participating in democracy, voting and where they get information from. The survey is available in all EU languages and open until 30 April.

The EU Children's Participation Platform asked children across Europe about what helps keep them safe. The ideas that children have shared helped the European Union draft the ‘Recommendation on integrated child protection systems’. Between May and October 2023, 1,095 children from 21 countries of the European Union took part in the consultations. 73% of children were aged between 14 and 17, 27% were between 7 and 13

In January 2024, the European Union and the Council of Europe launched a joint project on child-friendly Justice. It will last until March 2026. It aims at improving the protection of children in contact with the law (as perpetrators, victims, witness or parties in non-judicial and judicial (civil and criminal) and administrative proceedings). Through three focus countries (Belgium, Poland and Slovenia), the objective is to test and finalise a child-friendly justice assessment tool which will help the Member States meet European standards in the matter of children’s rights before, during and after judicial proceedings.

On 17 April afternoon, the Commission will host an online Forum entitled ‘Climate Resilience: Preparing for the Future’. Participants will engage in a direct dialogue with policymakers and practitioners in the field of climate resilience, in order to explore strategies to enhance resilience, adapt to changes and mitigate future risks. You can register online.

Between February and October 2024, the Commission, through its Youth Climate Lab, proposes six online sessions on ‘How to approach AI and climate change in learning communities’. These peer-learning world café are opened to young people between 16 and 26 years old.

The EU is seeking innovative projects that address violence against children, including on improving functioning of integrated child protection systems. The deadline for submission of applications has been extended to 29 May 2024.

On 21 March 2024, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on children’s rights hosted an event that launched the #Voteforchildren campaign. More than 9200 children aged between 10 to 18 replied to the online survey "Europe Kids Want" designed by children and ChildFund Alliance, Eurochild, Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages, UNICEF and the Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project. Based on the results, the EU should prioritise efforts on education, mental health, combating bullying and violence against children, creating more jobs or study opportunities and addressing war and conflicts

In January 2024, the European Union Agency for fundamental rights published the update of their mapping on child protection systems in the EU. This document gives an overview of the state of child protection systems at national level and developments since the first publication in 2015 and promotes the improvement of integrated child protection systems.

The Council of Europe and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights published a new guidance on human rights standards at Europe’s borders that apply to children. This note summarises the main safeguards of European law and completes the two previous publications in this matter.

Through the project 'STRIVE Juvenile: Preventing and Responding to Violence against Children by Terrorist and Violent Extremist Groups' funded by the European Union, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the partner countries, Indonesia, Iraq and Nigeria, intend to develop and implement comprehensive national responses to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism affecting children. The research study of the project ‘Targeted by Terrorists: Child recruitment, exploitation and reintegration in Indonesia, Iraq and Nigeria’, published in February 2024, has been carried out in these 3 countries to increase knowledge regarding children associated with groups designated as terrorist.

On 4 December 2023, the Child-Friendly Justice European Network (CFJ-EN) Caravan made a stop at the European Commission before visiting the EU Parliament and meeting with UNICEF and the Ombudsperson for children of the Francophone Belgian Community. This Child Justice Caravan is an initiative proposed by the CFJ-EN to children and young people to visit European institutions, meet with key representatives, become advocates for change in European justice systems and have their rights and needs more respected.

During its 95th session in January 2024, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child decided to draft its 27th General comment on children’s rights and to dedicate it to access to justice and effective remedies. The objective is to instigate States Parties to undertake appropriate actions to ensure children’s right to access justice and effective remedies. The Committee stated clearly its intention to involve Children in the drafting process.

From 21 March to 28 April 2024, a photography exhibition of Paddy Dowling, a humanitarian photojournalist and correspondent, takes place at the BOZAR Museum of Brussels. The exhibition was opened by Vice-President Dubravka Šuica, Virginia Gamba, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and a representative of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of Belgium. This collection of portraits shows children around the world who suffered, in different ways, from armed conflicts. The entrance is free.