Contents

EU FUNDING NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES

1. Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (REC) 2018 – Annual Work Programme
2.  2018 Justice Programme Annual Work Programme
3. Mid-term evaluation of DG JUSTICE EU funding programmes – invitation to respond to survey – survey closes 31 January 2018
4. Compilation of previously-funded REC projects updated 22 January 2018

NEWS FROM THE EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES

1. EU acquis on rights of the child – updated October 2017
2.  Continuously open call – List of experts to help the Commission in the framework of the Rights, equality and citizenship programme (includes rights of the child and Daphne funding on violence against children)
3. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) – age requirements/limits for children
4. 21.12.2017: European Foundation for living and working conditions – report on long-term unemployed youth: characteristics and policy responses

NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANISATIONS 

1. 16 November 2017 new Joint General Comments of the UN Committee on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and their families and the UN Committee on the rights of the child
2. 23.12.2017: Horizon 2020 ISOTIS Project (Inclusive education and social support to tackle inequalities in society)
3. 21.12.2017 England – House of Commons Select Committee report on foster care

UPCOMING EVENTS 

1. March 2018: European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) – school/child participation and culture
2. World Congress on Justice for Children, Paris, 28-30 May 2018 – Strengthening justice systems for children: challenges, including disengagement from violent extremism – call for papers and workshops – deadline for applications closes 26.1.2018
3. 3-4 May 2018: University of Geneva - 9^th international conference – Corporal punishment

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

1. Previous issues
2. Subscribing to the newsletter

EU FUNDING NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES

1. Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (REC) 2018 – Annual Work Programme

On 20 December 2017, the Commission adopted the annual work programme for the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme, which covers funding on rights of the child and violence against children. This is the blueprint for individual calls for proposals and sets out the funding priorities. Consult the document for indicative timing of calls, noting that the first call will be on rights of the child – preparations for leaving care (first to open, first to close). It provides enough information to allow potential applicants to prepare their applications, set up partnerships, etc., in anticipation of the calls. For all projects involving direct contacts with children, we will scrutinise organisations’ child safeguarding/protection policies, and we include a particular focus on implementation of children’s participation rights.

Some extracts (with more focus on those concerning children only) below, noting that this funding is open to applicants from all EU Member States and Iceland:

2.2. Action grants DAPHNE (Violence against children) (all projects can be national or transnational)

• Prevention of gender-based violence
• Protection and support for victims and witnesses of domestic violence
• The coordination and adaptation of support services for sexual and gender-based violence to include refugees and migrants (children, women, LGBTI persons, men and boys)
• Prevention and responding to cyber sexual- and gender-based violence migrants (children, women, LGBTI persons, men and boys)
• Promoting the embedding of child safeguarding policies across different settings and sectors, such as sports clubs and organisations, extra-curricular activities and/or leisure/recreation clubs/organisations for children (including faith/church-led; scouts and girl guides, private schools) both as a means to protect and safeguard children as well as to equip staff with the necessary training and guidance...)

2.2.3 Call for proposals on capacity-building in the area of rights of the child (projects can be national or transnational) – putting in place robust national or regional integrated mechanisms to support children ageing out of/leaving alternative care and they shall encompass a strong child participation component), covering all children in state or corporate care (including children in migration/children with disabilities, etc).

2.2.4 Direct award of grant to NIDOS (Dutch guardianship authority) to establish and coordinate the European Guardianship Network (for unaccompanied children)

Please consult the document for more details: http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/just/document.cfm?action=display&doc_id=49216

2. 2018 Justice Programme Annual Work Programme

On 19 December 2017, the Commission adopted the Annual Work Programme for the Justice Programme. This is the blueprint for individual calls for proposals and sets out the funding priorities. Consult the document for indicative timing of calls. This funding is open to applicants from all EU Member States except Denmark and the United Kingdom. It provides enough information to allow potential applicants to prepare their applications, set up partnerships, etc., in anticipation of the calls.

See, in particular, given relevance for children who are suspected or accused in criminal proceedings or who are victims of crime:

3.2.4. Topic 4 – Call for proposals for action grants to support transnational projects to enhance the rights of persons suspected or accused of crime and the rights of victims of crime

Consult the Annual Work Programme:   http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/other_eu_prog/justice/wp/justice-awp-2018_en.pdf

3.Mid-term evaluation of DG JUSTICE EU funding programmes – invitation to respond to survey – survey closes 31 January 2018

A midterm evaluation of our funding programmes is underway. Some of you have already completed the survey. The survey is open until 31 January EY and Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini are undertaking a study on behalf of the European Commission – Directorate General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST) to evaluate the current implementation of the JUSTICE and Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programmes. The study aims at assessing the implementation of the Programmes, understanding to what extent they are reaching their objectives, and identifying any areas for improvement. In this context, you are invited to take an online survey to support us in collecting comprehensive and relevant information on the Programmes, their implementation and outcomes, based on your relevant experience. The online survey is available at the following link: https://emeia2.ey-vx.com/survey/TakeSurvey.asp?SurveyID=53H6o44J4ll0045&newSurvey=true

4.Compilation of previously-funded REC projects updated 22 January 2018

The new version is now online: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/files/rights_child/compilation_previously_funded_projects_rights_of_the_child_and_violence_against_children.pdf

NEWS FROM THE EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES

5.EU acquis on rights of the child – updated October 2017

Version 1.9 from October 2017 is available here: http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/document.cfm?doc_id=40297

6.Continuously open call – List of experts to help the Commission in the framework of the Rights, equality and citizenship programme (includes rights of the child and Daphne funding on violence against children)

http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regexpert/index.cfm?do=calls.calls_for_app

7.European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) – age requirements/limits for children

The Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) has mapped legal age requirements across the EU linked to the child’s right to protection and participation.The first set of findings is available on the FRA website: Mapping minimum age requirements concerning the rights of the child in the EU. It covers marriage and citizenship, political participation, health and religion.  In 2018, findings will be published on access to justice, asylum and migration and data protection and the digital world. http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2017/mapping-minimum-age-requirements-concerning-rights-child-eu

8.21.12.2017: European Foundation for living and working conditions – report on long-term unemployed youth: characteristics and policy responses

Eurofound has published its most recent youth report ‘Long-term unemployed youth: Characteristics and policy responses’ on its website which we thought may be of relevance for your work. While the youth labour market has improved considerably since 2014, one legacy of the recent economic crisis is the large cohort of long-term unemployed young people, which represents nearly one-third of jobless young people. This report provides an updated profile of the youth labour market in 2016 and describes trends over the past decade. It explores the determinants of long-term unemployment, at both sociodemographic and macroeconomic levels. It also provides evidence on the serious consequences for young people of spending a protracted time in unemployment, such as scarring effects on income and occupation and on several dimensions of young people’s well-being. The report concludes with a discussion of selected policy measures recently implemented by 10 Member States in order to prevent young people from becoming long-term unemployed or, if they are in such circumstances, to integrate them into the labour market or education. Download the full report ‘Long-term unemployed youth: Characteristics and policy responses’ here. An executive summary is also available.

NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANISATIONS

9.16 November 2017 new Joint General Comments of the UN Committee on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and their families and the UN Committee on the rights of the child

Read Joint General Comments of the UN Committee on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and their families and the UN Committee on the rights of the child No 3/22 (2017) and 4/23 (2017) on the human rights of children in the context international migration

10.23.12.2017: Horizon 2020 ISOTIS Project (Inclusive education and social support to tackle inequalities in society)

ISOTIS is a collaborative project funded by the European Union within the Horizon 2020 programme, which includes 17 partners and 11 countries. The project started in January 2017, and will continue until December 2019. ISOTIS aims to contribute to effective policy and practice development at different system levels in order to effectively combat early arising and persisting educational inequalities. ISOTIS addresses actions at the levels of parent and family support, curriculum and pedagogy development, professional development, inter-sectoral services coordination, and education policy. This project builds on the strengths and potential of culturally and linguistically diverse families and communities, by giving them a voice in how to adapt early education systems and support services. Creating an inclusive society with an inclusive and effective education, and support system seems a most promising strategy to tackle inequalities. Join them! See http://www.isotis.org/ (and subscribe to their newsletter) Twitter: @ISOTIS_Project

11.21.12.2017 England – House of Commons Select Committee report on foster care

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/education-committee/news-parliament-2017/fostering-report-published-17-19/

UPCOMING EVENTS

12.March 2018: European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) – school/child participation and culture

http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/selected-schools: Thirty-three schools from across Europe will come to Brussels to discuss European culture (in March). EESC Vice President Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, together with EESC Members Isabel Caño Aguilar,  Renate Heinisch and Indrė Vareikytė, had the pleasure to take part in the YEYS random draw on 6 December, which resulted in one school being selected (see list of selected schools here: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/files/selectedschool_yeys2018.pdf) from each of the 33 eligible countries. Each selected school is now invited to send three students, together with their teacher, to represent them at "Your Europe, Your Say!" 2018 - United in diversity: a younger future for European culture.

13.World Congress on Justice for Children, Paris, 28-30 May 2018 – Strengthening justice systems for children: challenges, including disengagement from violent extremism – call for papers and workshops – deadline for applications closes 26.1.2018

For the first time, the main international organisations involved in promoting a fair justice for children: the International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates, Terre des Hommes, Penal Reform International, Defence for Children International, CRIN, and the Belgian institute of Judicial training in Belgium have decided to work together in cooperation with the Information for all Programme of UNESCO to convene this international Congress in Paris. More information about the congress is available here www.j4c2018.org .This is a big event with an expected 600 participants, 100 speakers and 26 workshops, aiming to ensure the proactive participation of government officials, judges, prosecutors and other experts from all around Europe and neighbourhood countries as well as from the rest of the world. You can register via the website and a call for papers and workshops is open until today 26.1.2018 COB here: http://j4c2018.org/assets/images/Call%20for%20Papers%20ENG.docx

14.3-4 May 2018: University of Geneva - 9^th international conference – Corporal punishment

The University of Geneva’s Center for Children’s Rights Studies, together with its close academic partners, and within the scope of its contribution to the Swiss Center for Expertise in Human Rights, views the organization of this conference (TO IMPROVE THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN IN SWITZERLAND: BAN ALL CORPORAL PUNISHMENT?) as a human rights imperative stemming from its findings of significant dissonance within the Swiss society: between the political positions, social attitudes, the international norms and the strong expectation that children should be better protected, as always taking into consideration their views and opinions on all matters that concern them. The objectives of this Conference are to: examine the Swiss legislation in light of the international norms as well as the legal framework of child protection in countries which have banned corporal punishment and other cruel and degrading practices, analyse the use of corporal punishment in the upbringing of children in Switzerland as well as its effects on their health and development, identify the psychosocial and economic remedies that effectively support parents and families to reduce the use of negative and violent educational practices, critically highlight, on the one hand, the social and professional positions that defend the use of corporal punishment as an educational tool and, on the other, the gradual evolution of attitudes that promote the adoption of so-called positive educational practices, elaborate recommendations in a final conference statement with the contribution of all the participants in order to support both a grassroots citizen campaign and a strong political initiative to adopt a law in the Swiss Civil Code clearly and explicitly banning all corporal punishment of children. See:http://www.unige.ch/cide/fr/actualites/9eme-colloque-international-pour-mieux-proteger-les-enfants-en-suisse-interdire-les-chatiments-corporels/9th-international-conference-improve-protection-children-switzerland-ban-all-corporal-punishment/

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

15.Previous issues

You will find previous issues of the Newsletter on the rights of the child from January 2017 onwards here: http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/just/newsletter-specific-archive.cfm?serviceId=529

16.Subscribing to the newsletter

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