"Newsletter on the rights of the child" Newsletter Issues

Highlighting a new alert tool in times of crisis: the child helplines (25/09/2020)

The pandemic highlighted the need for a holistic view of the state of violence against children during a pandemic. The spread of COVID-19 has caused significant disruption to the family nucleus (internal sphere), but also to child protection services (external sphere), most of which are either suspended or slowed down. As a result, child helpline services are essential in times of crisis, as they remain operational even when physical interactions are limited.

DG JUSTICE Newsletter on funding opportunities & funded projects (23/04/2021)

Subscribe, if not done yet and get access to latest news about funding, consultations and projects co-funded by the European Commission, Justice and CERV programmes.

Decision on the merits, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) v. Czech Republic (17/03/2021)

The European Committee of Social Rights decision: International Commission of Lawyers (ICJ) v Czech Republic, highlights the procedural rights of children under the age of criminal responsibility. The absence of procedural rights violates the right of children to social protection under Article 17 of the European Social Charter (1961).

UN CRC - General Comment n°25 on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment (02/03/2021)

At its 86th session, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted its General Comment No. 25 (2021) on children's rights in relation to the digital environment. Digital technologies are both vital to children’s current lives and constantly evolving. Their importance is even increased in times of crisis during which they perform societal functions, such as education. Children are entitled to same rights offline and online. A terminology glossary, explanatory note and child-friendly version are also available.

CJEU judgment in Case C-112/20 M.A.v. État belge; best interest of the child assessment (11/03/2021)

The CJEU ruled in M.A. v. État belge case saying that best interests of the child must be taken into account even in cases where the child is the indirect addressee of a decision, the direct person being his or her illegally staying parent, thereby avoiding his or her removal from the territory.

CJEU Judgement in Case-603/PPU SS v MCP - Brussels IIa Regulation (24/03/2021)

If a child is habitually resident in a third State, the jurisdiction of the court shall be determined in accordance with the applicable international conventions, giving priority to the principle of proximity.

2021 call for proposals for action grants to promote judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters (09/03/2021)

The primary objective of this funding available under the Justice Programme is to promote cohesion in judicial cases and cooperation within the EU. Priority 1. Judicial cooperation in civil matters, refers among others to actions on "improving the situation of children involved in civil cases, e.g. through better procedures, case-handling and cooperation in family law areas such as parental responsibility, international child abduction and maintenance or issues relating to civil status of children."

Latests in Child Protection by Child Protection Hub (04/03/2021)

Child Protection Hub is a regional initiative promoting better child protection in South East Europe. The newsletter of this new website covers a variety of topics: From restorative justice in cases involving child victims, the need for cross-sectoral work to protect children in conflict with the law, rights in child technology in the digital age.

Report on the state of implementation of the 2017 EC Communication on the protection of children in Migration (10/03/2021)

This report maps the progresses made by the Member States since the implementation of the 2017 Commission Communication on the protection of children in migration. The Communication aims at protecting all third-country national migrant children at all stages of migration to and within the EU. The report was prepared on the basis of national contributions from 26 EMN National Contact Points.

Navigating Irregularity: The Impact of Growing Up Undocumented in Europe (18/03/2021)

The report looks at key aspects of lives of undocumented children: Housing, access to services, income and socio-economic situation of households, interaction with residence procedures and enforcement of immigration legislation, as well as trauma often suffered, such as fear of detention or expulsion, or difficulties faced by undocumented children in accessing education.

Immigration detention in Europe: what safeguards for people with vulnerabilities (10/03/2021)

“Each year, more than 100,000 people are detained in Europe”. Based on this observation, the report then focuses on the often lasting consequences of detention on individuals. For example, children’s psychosocial development is affected. The report concludes by encouraging that definitions of vulnerability are based on an “open list” that takes into account the intersectional nature of vulnerabilities as well as those directly caused by detention.

Have your say on: Cross-border family situations - recognition of parenthood (14/04/2021)

Parenthood established in one EU country may not be recognised in another. This can lead to problems when travelling or moving to another EU country, and can endanger a child’s rights derived from parenthood (e.g. on maintenance, succession). This initiative aims to ensure that parenthood, as established in one EU country, is recognised across the EU, so that children maintain their rights in cross-border situations, in particular when their families travel or move within the EU. The roadmap for this initiative is opened for consultations. Feedback will be taken into account for further development and fine tuning of the initiative.

Get involved in 2021 Fundamental Rights Forum: Submit your proposal for a session (23/04/2021)

The 2021 Forum will be held online on 11-12 October. It will bring together leaders, decision-makers, civil society, artists and businesses. The forum will address two overarching topics: young people and Europe’s future and Europe’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. It will be a hybrid event: hosted from Vienna, linking live to European city hubs and other, entirely virtual, online sessions. Submit your proposal for a session by 30 April 2021.

A tool to mainstream Child Rights in all development and humanitarian aid programmes and projects (23/04/2021)

The French coalition for international development and humanitarian aid, Groupe Enfance, includes 19 Child Rights NGOs. The checklist has been developed by Groupe Enfance to ensure that children’s rights are mainstreamed in all development and humanitarian aid projects. The checklist aims to provide a list of criteria to help professionals better understand and protect the rights of the child.

Research: Voluntary Care in Ireland Study (2018-2021) (23/04/2021)

This research study is an inter-disciplinary project between social work (@UCCsocialwork, School of Applied Social Studies) and the School of Law and is located in the Children and Young People research cluster in ISS21 at University College Cork. The study examined the use of voluntary care in Ireland.

Future of Syria storytelling video with children (29/03/2021)

The Syrian conflict has lasted for about 10 years now and has led Syrians to flee to other countries in the world to be safe. The video includes testimonies from three children, Mohanad, Maha and Sandra, which show their daily lives since the beginning of the conflict: Bomb attacks, the destruction of their homes, the obligation to leave their homes, precarious living conditions in tents exposed to flooding, cold or very high temperatures, the death of parents during airstrikes, and the impossibility of going to school. This is a strong example of how children’s rights are particularly affected in armed conflicts.

Learning Corner Newsletter - find your tool to learn about the EU (13/04/2021)

Subscribe to this newsletter to get updates about games, competitions and activity books to help children discover the EU in a fun way, in the classroom or at home. Or about studying or volunteering abroad. For teachers or parents, the learning Corner is a source of teaching material for all age groups, from inspirations for lesson plans, to networking opportunities with other schools and teachers across the EU.

Art competition- My World without Pollution (23/04/2021)

Ahead of this year’s EU Green Week (https://www.eugreenweek.eu/), the European Commission is launching a call for artistic entries under the theme “My World without Pollution”, encouraging young artists to show what a pollution-free world can look like.

Open call for video projects from children: My Rights, My Voice (13/04/2021)

The EU Delegation in Strasbourg and the Permanent Representations of Andorra and San Marino at the Council of Europe are launching a call for artistic video projects from children aged 10 to 17, reflecting children’s views on their own rights. Children should select one or several specific rights of the child which will be the focus of the video project.

A Guide – Children and the Global Compacts on Refugees and Migration. (22/04/2021)

The guide analyses the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) through a child rights lens and outlines the measures foreseen in these documents (the Global Compacts) for the protection of the rights of the child. It was developed to support people, organisations and agencies working to protect children on the move to make better use of the Global Compacts in their daily work, to the benefit of children. It seeks to be comprehensive in terms of content, so that it can be useful for a range of actors, whether governmental or nongovernmental. It is designed as an interactive self-learning tool that can be read in its entirety or by section. It outlines what is in the Global Compacts that is of relevance for children and the provisions for the implementation, monitoring and review of these frameworks. It also suggests ways of engaging with the implementation of the Global Compacts.

2021 Call for proposals to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence against children (20/04/2021)

This year, the call for proposal focuses on early detection, prevention and protection of and/or support to women, children, young people and LGBTIQ victims or potential victims of violence, with specific attention paid to situations emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. More information in the call document.

2021 Call for proposals to protect and promote the rights of the child (20/04/2021)

This year, the call for proposals focuses on responding to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, by promoting ways to mainstream and embed children’s rights in the responses to this and any other emergency situations and contribute to the implementation of the actions put forward by the EU Strategy on the rights of the child. More details in the call document.

Newsletter on rights of the child No 2/2021 (23/04/2021)

Dear Readers, A month ago we celebrated the adoption of the EU Strategy on the rights of the child for years 2021-2024. Now, the strategy is available in all EU languages and soon the child friendly version of the strategy will be as well. We want to thank those of you who spread the news about the strategy and expressed their willingness to support its implementation. We very much count on that as we go along and create a child – centred and child – friendly culture in policy making. Now, sleeves up and back to work. We will keep you posted about progress on the implementation of the strategy.

Newsletter on rights of the child - Special edition (25/03/2021)

24 March 2021 was a big day for the rights of the child, for the European Commission and for the rights of the child team. The Commission adopted two policy documents that will push forward efforts to protect, support and empower children in the EU and beyond: the EU Strategy on the rights of the child and the European Child Guarantee. This strategy has been prepared for and with children. More than 10 000 children contributed to the strategy during consultation process that preceded the adoption. Children also worked on the child friendly versions of the Strategy, which are also accessible. Keep an eye on the newly updated website as it will be available in all EU languages in the coming weeks. A big thank you goes to all who contributed to the consultations and supported us. We still count on you, as the work has only started.

The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child (24/03/2021)

The Strategy was adopted on 24 March 2021. Building on the work done so far, the strategy puts forward actions to better respond to current challenges and ultimately better protect children, promote their rights and empower them to participate in political and democratic life, both inside and outside the EU. It also aims to better mainstream children’s rights across Commission policies and services, improve cooperation between relevant actors and invest more in capacity building and specific training of professionals.

The child friendly versions of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child (24/03/2021)

Children should have access to information provided in a child friendly way so they know what their rights are and, in this case, what the EU plans to do for them. That was our objective when working on the strategy. The Commission wants to lead by example for a meaningful child participation. The consultations with children in preparation of the strategy were only the beginning. The child friendly versions of the strategy are a continuation of the path that led to a strategy designed for and with children.

The European Child guarantee (24/03/2021)

Together with the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Council recommendation on a European Child Guarantee.. While the EU Strategy promotes and protect the rights of all children, the European Child Guarantee aims to break the cycle of poverty and promote equal opportunities by guaranteeing access to a set of key services for children in need (under 18 year old at risk of poverty or social exclusion).

EU Strategy on the rights of the child - consultations with children - report (23/02/2021)

Over 10,000 children and young people participated in a consultation on the EU’s upcoming Child Rights Strategy and Child Guarantee. In summer 2020, the European Commission invited UNICEF, Eurochild, Save the Children, World Vision and Child Fund Alliance to support the European Commission’s work and consult children on the upcoming EU Strategy on the rights of the child and the EU Child guarantee. The results from these consultations are outlined in the report “Our Europe, Our Rights, Our Future” that was launched in a virtual event on 23 February 2021.

Study on child participation in EU political and democratic life (22/02/2021)

The Commission published a study on child participation in EU political and democratic life. The study looks at the situation in the EU and UK at national level, and in 10 countries at national and local level - with 12 case studies. In the course of this research, over 200 children and young people have shared their opinions and experiences in interviews and focus groups.

Give your feedback on how to improve learning materials for children about the EU (12/02/2021)

The European Commission commissioned a study to look at how to optimise learning materials on the EU for children aged 5 to 18. Its results will help the services developing such materials for children to better adapt to their target audiences’ needs, preferred channels, and specificities such as their location, socio-economic background, any disabilities, learning difficulties, etc.

Have your say - open public consultations on the gender-based and domestic violence initiative (08/02/2021)

The purpose of the consultation is to inform the Commission’s work on further measures for improved, coordinated prevention of and protection against this kind of violence.

Early Childhood Education and Care - inclusion and staff professionalisation (03/03/2021)

On 3 March 2021, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, will launch a report on Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe focusing on inclusion and staff professionalisation.

New European Migration Network (EMN) Bulletin - section on unaccompanied children (04/02/2021)

The European Migration Network (EMN) is an EU network of migration and asylum experts who work together to provide objective, comparable policy-relevant information and knowledge on emerging issues relating to asylum and migration in Europe. EMN Bulletins are quarterly newsletters which provide an update on recent EU and national developments on migration and asylum as well as providing an overview of key statistics, EMN publications, events and developments.

2021 - the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour (21/01/2021)

While progress has been made to fight the child labour since the turn of the century, it has been far too slow. Now with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of child labour is increasing for the first time after over 20 years. There is an urgency to renew international commitments to eradicate child labour. The United Nations has declared 2021 the international year for the elimination of child labour. The Sustainable Development Goals specifically targets the ending child labour in all its forms by 2025 (SDG target 8.7). However, as we have seen, this is increasingly looking less likely. The solutions are known, it is the commitment and resources that need reinvigorating. For the European Commission, President Ursula von der Leyen has reaffirmed this engagement through a zero-tolerance policy on child labour.

European Migration Network (EMN) Inform on Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on voluntary and forced return procedures and policy responses (05/01/2021)

EMN Informs provide key findings and messages to policymakers on a specific topic, based on the results of information gathered and analysed by the EMN, for example, from reports and studies, or from ad-hoc queries. The report found that education for children subject to return decisions generally continued to be mandatory. Children in return procedures were entitled to the same provision as other children in relation to remote or online provision when schools closed during lockdowns. Some EU Member States provided additional equipment to facilitate access to education in centres for these children.

MINT project : Mentoring for integration of children affected by migration (23/02/2021)

The MINT project aims at supporting and facilitating the integration process of children, enhancing social relations and empowering both local youth and third-country national (TCN) children. The project specifically supports the integration of newly arrived children, including unaccompanied and separated children, paying particular attention to the gender-specific barriers to integration of girls and boys. This recording from the webinar will present the project activities (e.g. child-led awareness-raising and advocacy activities, language learning opportunities, etc.) and outputs of MINT with a focus on the peer-to-peer mentoring programme including the main challenges and lessons learnt during the two mentoring cycles from which over 140 migrant children and more than 110 local youth benefitted.

CRIN-Youth climate justice advisers (17/02/2021)

CRIN has invited youth climate activists around the world to help shape CRIN’s strategy on environmental issues for the next few years. It is a team of 12 advisers between the ages of 9 and 18 from different regions, backgrounds, experiences and who campaign on different environmental issues. This marks the first time CRIN will be collaborating with under-18s to this degree.

KIND Europe - newsletter (25/02/2021)

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is the leading national organization advocating for the rights of unaccompanied migrant and refugee children. In 2008, KIND was founded by the Microsoft Corporation and UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie to address the gap in legal services for unaccompanied minors. Through strategic partnerships, we provide pro bono legal representation for refugee and migrant children across the country.

Report: Advancing Protection for Unaccompanied Children in Europe by Strengthening Legal Assistance (27/01/2021)

KIND and Child Circle’s report provides recommendations on how to protect unaccompanied children. At the heart of the recommendations is that free quality legal assistance is a central safeguard for the protection of unaccompanied children. To raise awareness of the key features of quality legal assistance for unaccompanied children, the report draws from national good practices, highlighting the experience of KIND in the United States and of its partners in Europe, while indicating priorities for future reform and engagement.

Fighting child poverty in European cities (20/01/2021)

This research forms part of Eurocities’ broader initiative ‘Inclusive Cities for All’, which helps cities deliver the European Pillar of Social Rights at local level. This is the fourth survey conducted by Eurocities, following surveys in 2018 and 2019, which collected evidence from cities on policies relating to the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights. This time the focus of the survey was on principle 11 on childcare and support for children. A Eurocities’ survey reveals that the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on children means these municipal resources are no longer sufficient, and child poverty is on the rise.

Latest news from DCI (25/02/2021)

Defence for Children International is a worldwide movement for children’s rights with National Sections and Associated Members active across the five continents. Each of DCI’s National Sections works on the child rights issues that are the most relevant to their respective national contexts.

Meet CRIN's new sister - The Rights Studio (08/01/2021)

The Rights Studio is a new creative hub for people and organisations to engage on human rights issues affecting children, young people and future generations through the arts and other creative expressions. The Rights Studio was officially founded in September 2020 in Berlin, Germany. However its work and ideas have been around for some years now, under the auspices of CRIN.

Sharing Hope & Building Bridges with Young Asylum seekers - Report on the workshop (04/01/2021)

The workshop aimed at building a bridge between children and youths with a migrant background living in Brussels, experts working on the field (Redcross and Fedasil centres), and civil society organizations advocating for their rights. You are invited to read about the workshop here.

CJEU judgement on the best interests of the child in return procedures (14/01/2021)

The Court of Justice of the European Union has established in its recent ruling that EU Member States must necessarily take into account the best interests of the child at all stages of the return procedure. The Court stated that before issuing a return decision in respect of an unaccompanied child, a Member State must verify that adequate reception facilities are available for the child in the State of return.

Newsletter on rights of the child No 1/2021 (25/02/2021)

Dear Readers, Welcome to this first 2021 edition of the newsletter on the rights of the child. It is a very exciting year for our work, as we are finalising preparations for the adoption of the new EU Strategy on the rights of the child and the EU Child Guarantee. In this edition you can read about the consultations with more than 10.000 children that were conducted for these two important policy initiatives - with a big "thank you" to the child rights organisations who ran them. You will also find the outcomes of a study on child participation in EU political and democratic life and its accessible version prepared in cooperation with children. Next time - we get back to you with a new Strategy!

Open public consultations on the EU Strategy on the Rights of the child (09/12/2020)

The open public consultations on the EU Strategy on the rights of the child closed on 8 December. We received nearly 500 replies! Thanks to all who contributed.

A new Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU (02/12/2020)

On 2 December 2020, the European Commission adopted its new Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU. The strategy proposes specific actions to ensure the effective application of the Charter by the Member States; empower civil society organisations, rights defenders and justice practitioners; foster the use of the Charter as a compass for EU institutions; and strengthen people’s awareness of their rights under the Charter. The strategy complements the European Democracy Action Plan and the Rule of Law report, illustrating the Commission's comprehensive approach to promoting and protecting the fundamental rights and values of the EU. Upholding fundamental rights is a vital tool in protecting children's rights. The strategy addresses contemporary challenges, such as digitalisation and the impacts of COVID-19, including the adverse implications on children's rights and further widening the inequality gap.

Strategy for judicial training in the European Union for the period 2021-2024 (02/12/2020)

The European Commission adopted a new strategy, setting operational objectives tailored for the needs of various justice professionals. It focuses on a broader target audience and a new geographical scope to address the new challenges in accordance with the needs of justice professionals. The Strategy mentions the specific needs of children that needs to be addressed in judicial training.

The Roadmap for the Victims’ Rights Directive - open for feedback (02/12/2020)

The European Commission published a Roadmap for the Evaluation of the Victims’ Rights Directive Directive (Directive 2012/29/EU). It is open for feedback until 30 December 2020. As part of the EU strategy on victims’ rights, this initiative will evaluate the Directive to assess to what extent it has achieved its objectives in terms of its implementation and practical application in EU countries. The new strategy aims to empower victims of crime and to work together for victims' rights. It also promotes an integrated and targeted EU approach to support victims with special needs, such as child victims.

European Youth Portal: New version comes with updated design and content (02/12/2020)

The European Youth portal aims to concentrate youth-related information in a single place, with content from the former Youth pages on Europa being migrated to the portal. Through the new page, young people in Europe can easily find information about the EU’s youth policy and programmes, ask questions and get in touch with youth support services in the programme countries.

The Rights of Child Human Rights Defenders Unpacked: The New Implementation Guide! (15/12/2020)

According to the United Nations, all children taking any kind of action to promote and protect human rights, including children’s rights, are defenders. The Implementation Guide was produced in cooperation with the Queen’s University of Belfast (prof. Laura Lundy), the CRC Committee and the UN Special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms Mary Lawlor. The document aims to complement the existing commentary and advice on HRDs by clearly indicating the specific rights of children human rights defender (CHRDs) and identifying what is distinctive about children’s rights. It provides guidance as to what States, civil society organisations and others should do to ensure that children who exercise their right to defend human rights are not only allowed but empowered to do so and can do it without encountering breaches of their own rights and without unnecessary or disproportionate restrictions. A child-friendly version of this Guide is currently being developed by the Children’s Advisory Team of Child Rights.

Access to justice: the rights of the child and the environment (14/12/2020)

CRIN launched a new research on access to justice for children for their environmental rights. The project examines how the law can better protect children’s environmental rights, how children can access the courts in environmental cases and what remedies courts can impose to protect these rights. Using the findings of the research, the project will aim to push for the change needed to make children’s environmental rights enforceable.

Covid under 19 - children talking about the COVID-19 pandemic (09/12/2020)

In April 2020 Terre des Homme launched the initiative “Life Under Coronavirus”. Later, a global survey was launched to understand children’s experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic and their views on how they wish to get involved. The survey was designed with children, for children aged between 8 to 17 years available in 27 different languages alongside an easy to read version. It received an overwhelming response with more than 26,000 children participating worldwide.

Webinar - Ensuring a Gender-Based Violence education in Europe (07/12/2020)

The Gender ABC Project sets out to change children’s attitudes towards gender stereotypes & norms reinforcing gender-based violence and raising awareness of schools, families and communities to develop a supportive and safe environment for children to learn. In an online webinar, the Gender ABC partners presented the project, its results over 2 years and the learnings acquired through facing the multiple challenges of each country's context as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stay tuned and receive regular newsletters from Child Protection Hub (03/12/2020)

As a professional community, the Child Protection Hub strive for a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment for all children. It has come together to provide child protection professionals with tools for working and developing, space for constant learning and communication and with an opportunity to become a part of a strong regional community of practice.

Report - Guidance on judicial application of the EU Counter-terrorism Directive (18/11/2020)

ICJ and its partners published their report on investigation, prosecution and trial of terrorism cases. the report provides a comprehensive overview of the relevant international and EU legal standards and criminal law principles based on the EU Directive. The publication addresses the appropriate interpretation and application of the EU Directive in practice throughout investigation, prosecution and trial, consistently with international and EU human rights law and standards. The guidance discusses the rights of suspects in the criminal process and the specific needs of vulnerable groups, such as children. It underlines the best interests of the child a primary consideration, including when children are indirectly affected by proceedings.

Erasmus+ project on inclusion - Flexible to Scale up: A Peek into the TOY for Inclusion Play Hubs (17/11/2020)

The objective of TOY to Share, Play to Care is to scale up and embed in policy the TOY for Inclusion approach - an effective means of creating community-based early education and care (ECEC) initiatives that improve access to ECEC for marginalised young children, their transition to formal education and the capacity of their parents and professionals.

Rethinking care - Improving support for unaccompanied migrant, asylum-seeking and refugee children in the European Union (30/10/2020)

Lumos Foundation, in collaboration with the UNHCR, UNICEF and IOM, published its report that maps and assesses the forms of care provided to unaccompanied migrant, asylum-seeking and refugee children in six European Union Member States. The aim of the research is to inform policy and decision making, as well as promote further funding investments, towards integrated, child rights centred, family- and community-based care for these children.

Annual report - Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland (30/10/2020)

Together with his team, the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland published its annual report (April 2019 to March 2020). The report covers a year where progress was made on key issues for children’s human rights in Scotland, including UNCRC incorporation, equal protection of children from assault and raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility.

DigiGen- literature review on information and communications technology (ICT) use across Europe (30/09/2020)

The working paper consists of two main parts: a literature review on the four main research areas DigiGen is about (family life, leisure time, education and civic participation) and an overview of existing databases in relation to ICT and the extent to which such data allows the analysis of children at-risk groups. DigiGen is funded under the Horizon 2020.

CJEU judgement in infringement procedure launched by the Commission against Hungary (17/12/2020)

According to the judgement, Hungary has failed to fulfil its obligations under EU law in the area of procedures for granting international protection and returning illegally staying third-country nationals. In particular, restricting access to the international protection procedure, unlawfully detaining applicants (including families with children) for that protection in transit zones and moving illegally staying third-country nationals to a border area, without observing the guarantees surrounding a return procedure, constitute infringements of EU law.

First Years First Priority campaign (14/12/2020)

The campaign was launched on 15 December. It stands up for the rights of all children, with a particular focus on families and children who are at greater risk of discrimination and exclusion, such as children living in extreme poverty, children with disabilities, children at risk of entering, or in, alternative care, Roma and Traveller children, and migrant and refugee children. It aims to bring change for young children in Europe by: Building a community of ECD advocates at national and EU level; Raising awareness of ECD and collecting and disseminating a strong evidence base; Leveraging EU policies and funding to support reforms and public investment at national level.

Newsletter on rights of the child No 6/2020 (21/12/2020)

The year 2020 is almost finished. It has been a year of tremendous changes, challenges, adaptations, and feeling of unknown. Some of us revisited long forgotten hobbies, rediscovered walks, board games and baking. Others, experienced fear, solitude, depression. We are looking forward to 2021. For our team it means the adoption of the EU Strategy on the rights of the child and work on its implementation. Have a calm and relaxing end of the year. You will hear from us in 2021.

EU Strategy on the rights of the child - Have your say! (26/10/2020)

The works on the EU Strategy on the rights of the child are in full speed. Contribute to the open public consultation. The questionnaire is available until 8 December. The Strategy is planned for adoption in Spring 2021.

Newsletter on rights of the child No 5/2020 (24/11/2020)

Dear Readers, We welcome you warmly on a cold and grey day in Brussels. The season is changing, but the coronavirus is still around. Some changes can be observed compared to the first wave last Spring. In some countries, children have this time been asked what was their opinion about the safety measures, and more information has been delivered in a child friendly way – you can read more about it in the posts below. The impact of Covid-19 was discussed during the many events that took place on Friday 20 November, to celebrate the World Children’s Day. We link you to some of them in this edition of the newsletter. Last, but not least – some updates on our work on the Strategy. We are working at full speed to get the Strategy ready for Spring 2021. Together with eight leading child rights organisations we consulted children both within and outside the EU on the Strategy. We received more than 10.000 replies to the online questionnaire and more children were consulted in different forms. We gathered recommendations and opinions on the Strategy during the 2020 Forum on the rights of the child. We have also talked to the representatives of the national authorities from the EU Member States and to colleagues from the Commission services and agencies. We are still counting on your contribution to the online questionnaire that is available until 8 December. Don’t forget to have your say on the EU Strategy on the rights of the child.

Child Compass 2030: Shaping a healthy society, environment and economy fit for children (20/11/2020)

“Child Compass 2030" was published on 20 November to celebrate the World Children's Day. The publication brings a family perspective to policy-making based on the interrelated well-being of children and of their parents. The Child Compass 2030 calls on the European institutions to invest in child well-being and to shape a healthy society, environment and economy fit for children.

Voices of Children and Young People Around the World (25/11/2020)

The new report presents the data received from child helpline members around the world relating to 2019. This year, the report looks at some of the information that has started to become available in 2020 on how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted children and young people, and the work of child helplines.

Animation on Age Assessment for Children (20/11/2020)

Developed by EASO in partnership with the Council of Europe, this video animation intends to inform children and young persons about the process of an age assessment, their rights and obligations, in a child-friendly manner. In addition to English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, the animation will be available into Arabic, Pashto, Dari, Tigrinya, Somali & Punjabi.

Reflection paper: "Putting children's rights at the heart of decision-making in cases involving children on the move: gathering momentum in Europe" (20/11/2020)

In this paper, the European Child Rights Helpdesk partners share case experience and key developments in their countries. The report identifies four foundation stones to ensure a robust and fair system of decision making to fulfil the rights of children on the move. This paper presents the common agenda for change to ensure a robust and fair system that takes the rights of children on the move into account in administrative and judicial proceedings. It also provides recommendations on how the EU can play an important role in gathering momentum for progress, in particular through the ongoing reform of the European migration and asylum system and the upcoming EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child.

Conference-Children's right to be heard. We're talking; Are you listening? (20/11/2020)

This event explored the importance of children’s participation in securing their rights, with a special focus on the impact of Covid-19 on the rights of the child. Programme sessions included comments and observations from children and youth, an interactive child-led panel, remarks from high-level actors, and video statements from children around the globe. Vice-President of the European Commission, Dubravka Šuica, spoke at the opening of the event. Feedback from children during the event will be incorporated in a new Joining Forces policy brief to be released in January, titled We’re Talking, Are You Listening?

World Children’s Day: Joint Statement by the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (20/11/2020)

Statement on the occasion of the World Children's Day on 20 November by the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The statement pointed out to serious and potentially long-term impact of Covid-19 pandemic on children's learning, well-being, development and protection. It also reminded about the latest EU policy initiatives, such as the newly adopted EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, the EU Strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse and about the ones to be adopted next year - among others the EU Strategy on the rights of the child.

Selection of reports and studies on the impact of Covid-19 on children's lives (27/11/2020)

"I think this survey is a fantastic idea, thank you for taking the time to listen to us, because I feel that our age category is being forgotten in times of corona, so thank you again." said a 16 years old girl who participated in a survey done in Flanders, Belgium. Read more about this survey, other reports and studies documenting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the rights of the child.

Learning Corner for children to stay tuned in EU-related matters (10/11/2020)

DG COMM's Learning Corner delivers up-to-date news and thematic materials for children and youth who are keen on following the latest European initiatives and know more about the European Union. It also has a section for teachers.

REPORT from the 13th European Forum on the rights of the child: towards the EU Strategy on the rights of the child (27/11/2020)

The report from the 2020 European Forum on the rights of the child is available now. Between 29 September and 1 October 2020, more than 300 experts connected from all over the world to participate in an online, interactive event under the theme of this 13th edition: ‘Delivering for children: towards the European strategy on the rights of the child’.

EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse (24/07/2020)

The aim of the Strategy on a more effective fight against child sexual abuse is to provide an effective response to child sexual abuse. It provides for a framework for developing a strong and comprehensive response to these crimes, both in their online and offline form. It sets out eight initiatives to implement and develop the right legal framework, strengthen the law enforcement response and catalyse a coordinated multi-stakeholder action in relation to prevention, investigation and assistance to victims.

Assessment List for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (ALTAI) puts children in focus (17/07/2020)

Through the Assessment List for Trustworthy AI (ALTAI), AI principles are translated into a checklist that guides developers and deployers of AI in implementing such principles in practice. The AI HLEG notes that prior to self-assessing an AI system with this Assessment List, a fundamental rights impact assessment should be performed with a particular focus on the potential impact of AI on children to ensure that their best interests are taken into account, the potential harm is monitored, addressed and rectified.

Eurostat data on child population across Europe (15/10/2020)

Eurostat, in collaboration with the European Commission, has released its data on child and youth population in each EU Member States and neighboring countries. There are 81.5 million children across the EU, which is the 18.2% of the whole population.

Fundamental rights implications of COVID-19 (27/11/2020)

On this page FRA publishes various reports and studies that investigate the impact of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on fundamental rights in the EU.

The FYDO (Facility Dogs Europe) Project: a coordinated effort to train and place facility dogs in order to support victims (27/11/2020)

The goal of the FYDO Project is to establish a facility dog service to support victims throughout their participation in criminal proceedings. The development and implementation of a facility dog service further aims at improving the participation of victims in justice processes and the quality of victim interventions and testimonies.

ENOC - 24th annual meeting and Newsletter (16/11/2020)

The 24th annual meeting of ENOC took place on 16 and 17 November 2020 online. It was dedicated to discuss child rights impact assessment (CRIA). "CRIA is a process, tool and report which supports a systematic assessment and communication of the impact of a proposal or measure on the rights, needs and interests of children and young people. CRIA focuses on how children's rights may be affected by the decisions and actions of governments, institutions and others in the areas of law, policy and practice." The Newsletter contains useful information and announcements from the network itself, as well as updates on European and international activities in the field of the rights of the child. It also provides updates on ENOC members’ activities and collects the latest relevant publications.

Implementing the Global Compact on Refugees for Children: Examples of child-focused work (07/10/2020)

The Initiative, which brings together over 30 civil society and philanthropic organisations, has produced its new publication. The Initiative sets out to ensure that children’s rights are at the heart of the two global compacts on migration and on refugees in practice and to create a continuum of care, protection and support for all migrant and refugee children. Through this new publication it aims to support governments, within and outside of Europe, in the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) in a way that is child and gender sensitive.

Worlds of Influence Understanding What Shapes Child Well-being in Rich Countries (12/09/2020)

As part of the Innocenti Report Card series, the report card compares children’s well-being across rich countries. Through a multi-level approach, it shows that children’s well-being is influenced by children’s own actions and relationships, by the networks and resources of their caregivers, and by public policies and the national context. The report calls on countries to step up efforts to realise the rights of all children.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is being incorporated into Scottish law (01/10/2020)

The First Minister announced a UNCRC Incorporation Bill as part of Scotland's 2020/21 Programme for Government. This Bill looks to put the UNCRC into Scots law to the maximum extent possible. The act is expected to bring a cultural change and an increased level of accountability of Scottish authorities when applying law that affects children.

ESN newsletter (27/08/2020)

The mission of ESN is to advance the exchange of knowledge in public social services in partnership with health, education, housing, employment and social inclusion to benefit people and communities through improved policy and practice.

Missing Children Europe’s annual “Lost in Migration” conference is coming up (03/12/2020)

Missing Children Europe will hold its annual “Lost in Migration” conference on 3, 8 and 15 December 2020 online. It aims to raise awareness about the issue of missing children in migration and mobilise policy makers to take actions. In past years, some of Missing Children Europe's recommendations made it into the European Institutions strategies and resolutions. Check out last year's conference and stay tuned for updates for 2020. The conference will be organised by young migrants themselves. Donations are welcome, all the proceeds of Wyvern Lingo's song Brutal Lottery will go to funding the conference.

Innovative application to find missing children (28/07/2020)

Missing Children Europe launches its ChildRescue app, an innovative application in Belgium and Greece (other European countries will follow) calling for the public to contribute to finding missing children in Europe. ChildRescue is an innovative platform to effectively reduce the time it takes to find a missing child. It further helps resolve the disappearance of children in migration fleeing to Europe.

On-line training on gender-based violence affecting children and youth on the move (23/07/2020)

ChildHub Academy has opened the online course within the framework of the Building Relationships through Innovative Development of Gender-Based Violence Awareness in Europe (BRIDGE) regional project. The course is designed for professionals who come into contact with children and youth on the move. It focuses on building the knowledge and capacity to prevent, identify, and respond to gender-based violence (GBV). The course is free and self-paced and available in English, Dutch, French, Greek and Romanian. Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate of completion from ChildHub.

New Missing Alert App in Greece (16/07/2020)

The new free mobile application Missing Alert App is now available to the public, actively supporting the quick recovery of missing people in Greece. The application enables all citizens to contribute to the search of missing people in real time. Furthermore, it may be used to protect relatives – children, as well as adults – who run a high risk of going missing, thus broadening the social circle of solidarity and support. The app is managed by the specialized team of the organization The Smile of the Child, which is responsible for any information, evaluating it to make the most of the potential for the immediate recovery of the missing person.

DigiGen - a new project looking at the impact of ICT on children and on their family life. (08/07/2020)

DigiGen, a Horizon2020 research project has produced a new literature review on children's ICT use and its impact on family life. The projects examines the impacts of ICT on children and on their family life. It points out how adequate parental mediation and essential digital competencies can help to mitigate the adverse effects of children’s and young people’s online activities.

Relocations of unaccompanied children from Greece, call for further action and solidarity (08/07/2020)

IOM, UNHCR, and UNICEF welcomed the relocations of 49 unaccompanied asylum-seeking and migrant children from Greece to Portugal and Finland that happened during the summer. The 49 children relocated to Portugal and Finland are boys aged 12-17. Forty-two are from Afghanistan, 4 from Egypt, and one from The Gambia, Palestine, and Iran respectively.

Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020 (18/06/2020)

The report looks at countries’ progress towards the SDGs aimed at ending violence against children. It collates inputs from over 1000 decision-makers in 155 countries who assessed their violence prevention status against the evidence-based approaches. The report shows that while many of the participating countries are taking some action, government officials from these same countries acknowledge that their efforts are clearly insufficient to achieve the SDG targets. The report concludes with recommendations for boosting INSPIRE implementation efforts and accelerating national progress.

16-year-old girl becomes the Finnish Prime Minister for one day (08/10/2020)

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin participated in the Girls Takeover event organised by Plan International on 7 October. For one day, the Prime Minister’s seat was taken over by a 16-year-old girl. In the Girls Takeover, which is part of the celebration of the UN’s International Day of the Girl, girls around the world step into the shoes of leaders in different sectors of society.

Publication: Safeguarding Children's Rights in Immigration Law (19/08/2020)

The book presents a compilation of scientific papers presented during the conference ‘Safeguarding Children’s Rights in Immigration Law’, organised by the Institute of Immigration Law and the Department of Child Law of Leiden Law School, at Leiden University in November 2018. It shows the diversity of issues related to immigration and children, including family reunification, detention, participation, human trafficking and the rights of siblings in the context of migration, as well as the significance of regional legal systems and infrastructures for the protection of children on the move.

Inside the city run by children (17/08/2020)

Every two years, for a few summer weeks, children run their own show. Filling government roles, running businesses, building structures, and talking politics, kids participate in what’s known in Germany as a spielstadt, or play city. The project offers children a chance to better understand and participate in the functions of a city, while also allowing them the freedom to rethink what a city can be.

Relocation of unaccompanied children from Greece to Portugal and Finland (08/07/2020)

On 7 and 8 July, 49 unaccompanied children were relocated from Greece to Portugal and Finland as part of a scheme organised by the European Commission and the Greek Special Secretary for Unaccompanied Minors, in partnership with UN agencies and the European Asylum Support Office. As part of the Action Plan for immediate measures to support Greece, the Commission proposed to relocate up to 1,600 children as part of a scheme supported by EASO, IOM, UNHCR and UNICEF.

CJEU ruling on the date to be taken into account, when determining whether a family member of a sponsor is a ‘minor child’ (16/07/2020)

In line with the European Commission's position, the Court ruled that the date to be taken into account, in order to determine whether a family member of a sponsor is a ‘minor child’ is the date of submission of the application for entry and residence (and not the date on which a decision was given on that application by the competent authorities of that Member State). The Court also confirmed that the action against the rejection of an application for family reunification of a child cannot be held inadmissible on the sole ground that the child has reached majority during the court proceedings.

Newsletter on rights of the child - Special edition (23/10/2020)

Dear Readers, The Newsletter on the Rights of the child took a break, but we didn’t go on holidays. We worked quite hard on the 13th European Forum on the rights of the child that took place almost one month ago. We have been also occupied with the consultations on the EU strategy on the rights of the child. In this special edition of the newsletter, we bring you some information about the Forum and the Strategy.

13th Forum on the Rights of the child (26/10/2020)

Over three mornings and one afternoon, between 29 September and 1 October, more than 300 participants connected from all over the EU (and beyond) to this first digital edition of the EU Child Rights Forum. They listened the three plenary session, three keynote speeches and participated in four workshops.

EU Strategy on the Rights of the child: children - have your say! (26/10/2020)

Online consultation questionnaire for children between 11 and 18 - OPENED ONLY UNTIL 30 OCTOBER! This questionnaire is available in 20 languages and aims at bringing voices of children (living also in non-EU Member States). The questionnaire is available in Albanian; Bulgarian; Dutch; English; Finnish; French; Danish; Icelandic; Italian; German; Greek; Hungarian; Lithuanian; Polish; Portuguese; Romanian; Serbian; Slovenian; Spanish; Swedish; Several rights of the child organisations (UNICEF, EuroChild, Save the Children, World Vision International and Child Fund Alliance) have joined forces to develop this questionnaire. Other organisations (SOS Children’s Villages International, Defence for Children International and Terre des Hommes) are running targeted consultations with children.

Special edition- the online public consultation for the EU Strategy on the rights of the child is opened (01/09/2020)

Dear Readers, We are back in full speed. Today, we have launched the online public consultation on the EU Strategy on the rights on the child. The deadline for replying to the questionnaire and submitting your feedback is 8 December. Please have a look, spread the word, fill in the questionnaire. We count very much on your knowledge, expertise and experience. Thank you. Valeria Setti, the Commission Coordinator for the rights of the child

Roadmap published - Delivering for children: an EU strategy on the rights of the child (17/06/2020)

The roadmap for the EU strategy on the rights of the child is online. This is the first consultation document on the strategy opened for public comments. Feedback will be taken into account in further works on the strategy. The second stage of the public consultation - the questionnaire will be open later during summer. Please stay tuned and check your inbox for our next newsletter and the webpage https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say Please contribute and disseminate. Thank you.

Newsletter on rights of the child No 4/2020 (03/07/2020)

Dear Readers, This will be our last newsletter before the summer break. The coronavirus is still out there and the impact it has had is even more obvious. In this edition of the newsletter, we share with you some data and information on that. We also inform you about positive developments in the are of the rights of the child. The Commission adopted the EU strategy on victim’s rights and is getting ready for the EU strategy on fighting child sexual abuse and the EU strategy on the rights of the child. Wishing you a safe, calm and sunny summer, Rights of the child team.

2019 Report - Child on the Internet (24/06/2020)

This new report talks about violations of children’s rights in the digital world, especially the right to the privacy in the context of social media. The report also discusses safety issues on popular messengers like WhatsApp and focuses on online games, where the inexperience of children often is being exploited. The report provides also a set of recommendations on how risks can be minimised.

Report: Figures and trends 2019 from hotlines for missing children and cross-border family mediators (25/05/2020)

In 2019, the 116 000 European hotlines for missing children answered 55,284 calls covering 7582 cases. The majority of new cases concerned runaways with 55%, just under a fourth (23%) were parental abductions, and a small portion of cases reported, over 3%, concerned children in migration. MCE warns that the current COVID-19 crisis increases the risks for all three categories. Quarantine measures led to increased domestic violence which are the major risk factor for running away. Border closures caused new cases of international child abduction and have led to delays, in ongoing and new cases. Social distancing measures further limit migrant children’s access to care and support services, and risk separating them from ill parents or caregivers, making them more vulnerable to traffickers. The annual report by Missing Children Europe (MCE) encourages EU Institutions, Member States, foundations and individuals to support hotline services during these challenging times.

Statement on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict: 20 Years After the Adoption of OPAC (25/05/2020)

Joint Statement by the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, the European Parliament Intergroup on Children’s Rights and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict marked the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OPAC). The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict entered into force on 12 February 2002 and is a commitment that States will not recruit or conscript children under 18 to take part in hostilities. 170 States have become parties to the Optional Protocol; 17 countries have not ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol, while 10 have signed but not ratified it.

Campaign on educational violence by StopVEO and Publicis Conseil (01/06/2020)

Following the recent adoption of a new law for the abolition of ordinary educational violence (slapping, spanking, pinching, humiliation), the association StopVEO-Enfance and agency Publicis Conseil produced a film “The Words I Won’t Say” to raise awareness among parents. The new law states that parental authority is exercised without physical or psychological violence and prohibits all Ordinary Educational Violence.

Global Call for Action to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on most vulnerable children in Europe and worldwide. (25/05/2020)

The socio-economic fallout of the pandemic will be felt hardest by the world’s most vulnerable children. Therefore, based on the extensive field-experience, long-lasting expertise and the latest analysis of the situation,SoS Children's Villages launched a global call to action to protect children without or at risk of losing parental care. This call presents a set of key recommendations to ensure that their rights and needs will be prioritised by governments at national, regional and international levels -as they adopt measures to mitigate the short and long-term impacts of the pandemic in Europe and across the world.

Report on Early childhood education and child welfare in cities in Europe (28/05/2020)

This report presents the findings on how cities deliver early childhood education and care and tackle child poverty, in line with principle 11 of the European Pillar of Social Rights. It provides: an overview of city competences; trends and current social challenges at local level; good practices from city measures; obstacles that prevent cities from doing more or implementing better policies; and policy recommendations for cities, member states and the EU.

Campaign: 'Inclusive Cities for All: Social Rights in My City’ (02/07/2020)

The campaign shows commitment of cities to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights at local level. Mayors and deputy mayors are pledging with concrete measures and financial investments to implement actions that are making the EPSR reality at local level. Eurocities invited mayors and deputy mayors to pledge to act on the principles of European Pillar for Social Rights in line with a city's strategic objectives. If the city is already delivering inclusive social policies to achieve social rights, these efforts can be highlighted through a pledge to one of the principles of the Pillar. Is your city interested to join the initiative? Or is your city already one of the 27 signing cities but you wish to sign a new pledge on another principle? Your city is very welcome to join this campaign and become a ‘champion city’ on the EU Pillar of Social Rights.

Vice-President Šuica and Commissioner Reynders: Children must not be forgotten during the coronavirus outbreak (01/06/2020)

The op-ed published on the occasion of the International Children's Day, VP Šuica and Cssr Reynders highlighted the effects that the coronavirus crisis has had on children. Published in more then 13 newspapers, it reminds that when drawing up recovery plans, we must ensure that children do not become silent victims of this crisis, bearing in mind their needs and rights, and giving their voices and concerns the space they deserve.

COVIDUnder19 - Global Children’s Consultation (28/05/2020)

In May 2020 the Centre for Children's Rights, Queens University Belfast in collaboration with a coalition of international NGOs and agencies, launched a global survey for 8-17 year old's to get their views and experiences of ‘Life under Coronavirus’. The aim of the survey is to find out how children feel, whether they are able to learn and play, see their parents, stay in touch with their friends, if they can access reliable information and support, and if they are healthy and safe in these challenging times. The survey is the first global survey of children’s views and experiences of COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions and is available in many languages (see below). It was developed with 270 children from 28 countries and an international advisory group of 18 children and young people and is currently available in 22 languages.

Awareness raising video about unaccompanied children applying for asylum (02/07/2020)

Report: Exploiting isolation: sexual predators increasingly targeting children during COVID-19 pandemic (19/06/2020)

Video calls with friends and family, social media interaction, online games, educational use: during the corona lockdown children’s lives promptly shifted even further from the real world into an online virtual one. Sex offenders have found in this development a tempting opportunity to access a broader group of potential victims. The report published by Europol shines a light on the increased sharing of child sexual exploitation images online and how to confront this serious threat to children’s safety. To confront this threat, law enforcement has also increased its efforts to tackle this severe crime, which sees a child being re-victimised every time an image is shared.

Migration: Key fundamental rights concerns - Quarterly bulletin 2/2020 (27/05/2020)

Guidelines: Learn about your rights in the digital environment (02/07/2020)

Launched on 1 June, a leaflet produced by children for children was made available online. It presents the key rights that children have in the digital environment and can claim from governments, schools, business and other stakeholders, and points to possible action that notably adults must take to ensure that children stay safe while using digital technology. The leaflet and its way of presenting these rights to children have been designed in collaboration with a group of children who were consulted in the publication process.

Eurochild Annual Report 2019 (15/06/2020)

Eurochild’s Annual Report of 2019 reflects on the key activities and achievements of the network, which spans 34 countries with its almost 200 members. The report, divided in two sections based on Eurochild’s strategic plan of 2019-2021, showcases the work and achievements aimed towards ‘The change Eurochild wants to see’ and ‘How Eurochild contributes to making that change happen’.

Project: Gender ABC (02/07/2020)

Gender ABC is an EU funded project managed by the End FGM European Network in partnership with four other organisations: Terre Des Femmes (Germany), AIDOS (Italy), Médicos del Mundo (Spain) and APF (Portugal). The project aims at giving a comprehensive education around GBV on 12 different topics put together in 18 modules adapted to primary and to secondary schools. The modules are adaptable, flexible and child-friendly for different national and local contexts.

EU strategy to fight child sexual abuse (05/06/2020)

There has been a dramatic increase in detected cases of child sexual abuse in recent years, and it is imperative that efforts are stepped up to tackle these crimes. The fight against child sexual abuse and exploitation is a firm priority for the EU. On 5 June, the European Commission published a roadmap on the EU Strategy to fight sexual abuse. The responses received will be taken into account for further development and fine tuning of the initiative. The European Commission is therefore preparing an EU strategy to tackle this issue which will focus on preventing the abuse from happening in the first place, law enforcement and assisting victims.

EFRIS database-updates (09/06/2020)

The European Union Fundamental Rights Information System EFRIS is a Human Rights Gateway, bringing together data and information from existing human rights databases, and enables viewing and analysis of relevant assessments of fundamental rights in the EU. The drop down menu, includes now the rights of the child and child labour.

Report: National Responses to Adjust Child Protection Systems (COVID 19) (02/07/2020)

Child Protection team in the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) designed a brief online survey to take stock of what national authorities are doing to adjust national child protection systems and services in the wake of COVID 19. The survey was administered online to 23 UNICEF offices in the region. The report aims to synthesize the responses across the region; support national and international child protection agencies, organizations and authorities to identify promising practices, challenges, risks and opportunities; and promote exchange of experience and practices across the region and globally. The report contains: Highlights on the Essential Protection Services, and Social Work; Highlights of the Key Justice Responses for Children; Key Gaps and Concerns; Promising Practices and Opportunities and Examples to further consider and build on across the region.

Comparative overview of national protection statuses in the European Union (EU) and Norway (27/05/2020)

The EMN study explores the key characteristics of non-harmonised protection statuses and the types of national statuses granted by Member States and Norway to address a protection need not covered by international protection statuses as set out in the Qualification Directive or temporary protection in the Temporary Protection Directive. The report includes an overview of national statuses granted by particular protection ground, reviewing the conditions and rights associated with each. It also considers commonalities and differences with the minimum standards established at EU level for the EU-harmonised statuses (refugee status, subsidiary protection and, in one case, temporary protection).

EU Strategy on victims' rights (2020-2025) (02/07/2020)

The European Commission presented on 24 June 2020 its first-ever EU Strategy on victims’ rights (2020-2025). The main objective of this strategy is to ensure that all victims of all crime, no matter where in the EU or in what circumstances the crime took place, can fully rely on their rights. To that end, it outlines actions that will be conducted by the European Commission, Member States and civil society.

Project on integration of Roma children - MISTO AVILEAN! (02/07/2020)

The project is implemented by Terre des hommes Foundation Romania in partnership with: Terre des hommes Foundation Hungary, Fundación Secretariado Gitano in Spain, and Afeji in France. Through this partnership, the MISTO AVILEAN! project aims to ensure non-discriminatory and non-disruptive education for Roma children engaged in migration.

Report on ending violence against children: OUR research, OUR rights (16/06/2020)

OUR research, OUR rights - Ending violence against children through the lens of child researchers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil,Indonesia, Nicaragua, Romania and Sierra Leone. The child researchers explained that: "The aim of these child-led research projects was to understand children and young people’s perceptions about violence against children as described within the SDG (16.2) that seeks to end violence towards us. We wanted to understand how violence is happening in our schools and communities and its effects on children’s lives. This objective was selected by us, the child researchers, in a collective way, and we found a way to agree on which topic to focus. We wished to explore issues concerning violence against children and young people because these are important for us and we feel like sometimes our views or priorities are not always taken into account by adults’ research projects."

Campaign #EndFGMmyths - Youth Engagement Manifesto (02/07/2020)

End FGM European Network recognises the critical role of engaging youth from FGM-affected communities in tackling FGM within Europe and indeed globally. In the movement to end FGM, young people struggle to be truly at the centre. They are often seen or heard but not really listened to. Youth are rarely provided the opportunity to shape programmes and activities concerning them, with tokenism being a sad reality and a hindrance for everyone concerned. In cooperation with the Members who are part of the Network’s Youth Engagement Working Group (APF - Portugal, AkiDwA - Ireland, Equipop - France, FORWARD - UK, TERRE DES FEMMES - Germany, National FGM Centre - UK), the Youth Ambassadors and Integrate UK, EndFGM developed 5 Principles for Effective and Meaningful Engagement of Youth:Communicate appropriately with young people; Build youth leadership; Safeguard youth; Listen to young people; Foster empowerment of young people.

Campaign #EndFGMmyths : “The Purple Chair” Youtube video series (02/07/2020)

Within an Erasmus+ project awarded last year, END FGM Youth Ambassadors are developing their very own Youtube video series, developing the content, filming, editing and subtitling a series of videos to talk to other youth about topics such as GBV, bodily integrity, FGM, consent, engagement with youth, etc. The very first video was launched 2 weeks ago on the End FGM EU Youtube channel. and there will be one video launched every two weeks. Stay tuned for more and subscribe to the End FGM European Network Youtube Channel and check their Twitter account @ENDFGM_Network

Everyone can make a difference - World Refugee Day (20/06/2020)

No matter who you are or where you come from, pandemic or not; everyone of us can make a difference. Every action counts.

Other newsletters worth subscribing to (02/07/2020)

We would also like to raise your attention to other newsletters issued by various organisations on rights of the child issues.

Newsletter on rights of the child No 3/2020 (15/05/2020)

Welcome to the third 2020 edition of the newsletter on the rights of the child. The shadow of coronavirus is still hoovering across the world, while many countries take the first steps towards de-confinement. We know more about the virus and more about the consequences the confinement and other measures have on children and their rights. Read more about this below. In this edition we also want share with you information on some concrete initiatives from the Commission to help children and their parents or carers go through these difficult times. We have seen some good examples of heads of states addressing children in their statements and communication, and there are more and more suggestions coming on how to make the situation better for children and how to support parents. You will find some links to child-friendly materials below. We hope that you, your friends and families are in good health.

Have some fun (05/05/2020)

Deadline extended - call for proposals under the Internal Security Fund – Police on "Joint Action against Trafficking in Human Beings addressing the Culture of Impunity" (30/01/2020)

The deadline for this call was extended until 27 August 2020. Priorities of this call are: - Prevention initiatives targeted specifically at countering the impunity for all actors involved in the trafficking chain: traffickers, exploiters, profit makers, users and abusers. - Disrupting the financial business model of trafficking, following the money and untangling the trafficking chain. Proposals are requested to focus, among others, on trainings on trafficking in human beings targeted specifically for officials responsible for investigating and prosecuting the offences, taking into account victims with a focus on women and children, including the Roma community. Proposals are expected to integrate a gender and child specific perspective in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a project, as appropriate.

Webinar series: Digital Citizenship Breakfast Bytes – 11th-20th May (11/05/2020)

The onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic has plunged all of us, families, children, workers, consumers, into the digital age with imposed and recommended lockdowns, meaning that digital tools are slowly but surely becoming the norm for schooling, working, socialising, gaming, staying connected with family members. This makes digital citizenship and critical thinking ever more urgent. From 11th-20th May, enjoy a cup of tea/coffee accompanied by a Breakfast Byte of digital citizenship. Each “byte” is a short 90-minute online session (from 9.30-11.00 Brussels time) aiming to increase the understanding of the digital world.

European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC) Bureau Statement “Children’s rights in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak” (01/04/2020)

The ENOC Bureau released a video message and a statement urging States’ governments, the European Commission and the Council of Europe to undertake all appropriate actions to ensure that the rights of all children, as guaranteed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the General Comments of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, are respected during the COVID-19 healthcare crisis, especially in the areas of: Information and Participation (Arts 12 and 13 UNCRC) Protection from violence and abuse (Arts 19 and 34 UNCRC) Rights to health and development, to benefit from social security, and an adequate standard of living (Arts 24, 26, and 27 UNCRC) Education (Arts 28 and 29 UNCRC)

Child rights violations in the context of the quarantine to contain the COVID-19 outbreak (24/04/2020)

In its press release, DCI urges governments to take specific measures in order to protect the rights of the child and uphold the the commitments ensrhined in the UNCRC.

HOW DO EU MEMBER STATES TREAT CASES OF MISSING UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN? (08/04/2020)

The European Migrtion Network (EMN) contacted a study about unaccompanied children going missing, with a special focus on available data and responses from the Member States.

UNSG brief: The effect of the COVID 19 on Children (15/04/2020)

The policy brief on Children and COVID 19 was issued by the UN Secretary General and calls to prioritise education, health, food and safety for children. The statement of support was initiated by the EU, GRULAC and the Group of Friends for Children and SDGs and joined by 171 Member States and Observers.

Children in migration in 2019 (30/03/2020)

The ‘Children in migration in 2019’ report looks at the migration situation in 2019. It pulls together the main issues identified in FRA’s Quarterly Bulletins on migration in selected EU Member States.

Joint Communication and the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy for 2020-2024. (25/03/2020)

Building on the achievements of the previous Action Plans, the new Action Plan identifies the priorities and key actions for the next five years and commits to ensure that the EU plays a greater role in promoting and defending human rights and democracy throughout its external action. The Action Plan has five lines of action: Protecting and empowering individuals; Building resilient, inclusive and democratic societies; Promoting a global system for Human Rights and Democracy; Harnessing opportunities and addressing challenges posed by the use of new technologies; Delivering by working together.

European Parliament Intergroup Statement on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Children (10/04/2020)

The European Parliament Intergroup on Children's rights issued a statement on the impact of COVID-19 on children. The Intergroup called on the European Commission and the EU Member States to take specific actions and put in place appropriate measures to ensure that children and young people are safe and their well-being and developement is not endangered by the coronavirus crisis.

Report “Relocation of unaccompanied children: applying good practices to future schemes" (11/05/2020)

The report highlights the challenges and good practices gathered in the implementation of different mandatory and voluntary relocation programmes since 2015. The report focuses on key steps of the relocation procedure from the moment a child is identified for relocation to the child’s integration in the Member State of destination. FRA conducted the interviews used for the report between November 2019 and March 2020 in 10 EU Member States: Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Policy brief: Covid-19 and immigration detention (27/04/2020)

The UN Network on Migration's Working Group on Alternatives to Immigration Detention, co-led by IDC, UNHCR and UNICEF, released practical guidance for States and stakeholders on responding to COVID-19 in the context of immigration detention and alternatives to detention. The document aims to provide practical guidance to States and other stakeholders in preventing and responding to COVID-19 in the context of immigration detention, highlighting instances of promising practices as useful models to draw from.

Policy Brief COVID-19 and Human Rights: We are all in this together (23/04/2020)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlights in teh brief how human rights must guide the COVID-19 response and recovery. In his words “The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency - but it is far more. It is an economic crisis. A social crisis. And a human crisis that is fast becoming a human rights crisis.” Among emerging human rights challenges, those rlating to the rights of the child are uderlined: * Widespread closure of schools has interrupted the education of more than 1 billion children. * Reduction of care and protection services for children, including abrupt closure of care institutions and health services serving children, has increased children’s vulnerability to violence, exploitation and abuse *Prisoners, detainees and those deprived of their liberty, both adults and children, are highly vulnerable to the rapid spread of the virus

Keeping Children Safe in Sports (07/04/2020)

Keeping Children Safe in Sports is a project co-funded under the REC programme, implemented by Terre des hommes (Tdh) in Romania and in Greece (Tdh Hellas) and supported by Tdh Hungary. Its goal is to promote child safeguarding policies in sports settings or summer camps in Romania and Greece, as a means to protect and safeguard children.

Webinar: Adverse childhood experiences (aces): advantages and disadvantages of the aces narrative & effectiveness of common responses (21/05/2020)

This webinar will address advantages and disadvantages of the ACEs narrative, identify open questions, and contextualise ACEs within the wider literature of child maltreatment and disadvantage. It will look at how a system-wide focus on ACEs could mitigate the impact on child development and which interventions could be used to help address ACEs. This webinar is for individuals or organisations who would like to know more about Adverse Childhood Experiences and other issues that negatively affect children as well as existing interventions for addressing them.

Report: COVID-19’s Devastating Impact on Children (09/04/2020)

According to a report released by Human Rights Watch, the COVID-19 crisis will have a long-term negative impact on children, though they are much less threatened by the virus than other age groups. Due to the virus, around 1.5 billion children globally cannot attend school and this situation increases the risk of domestic violence, child labour and sexual exploitation. Additionally, many children have been orphaned because of the pandemic.

Children talking about Coronavirus (09/04/2020)

Listen to what children have to say about their situations and feelings under the coronavirus restrictions.

Report:Building on Rainbows. Supporting Children’s Participation in Shaping Responses to COVID-19 (23/04/2020)

This rapid evidence report contains findings from a survey conducted (in one week, April 2020) with 95 professionals contacted through children’s participation and rights networks in 20 countries, including their reports of children’s perspectives. This evidence, from across Europe, illustrates: • Difficult conditions experienced by children in all countries, related to health, communication barriers, information shortages and digital reliance. Plus, additional challenges in many countries, related to accessing education, basic essentials, care and safety, mental health and wellbeing, involvement in decision making; and arising from exposure to violence, changes in family life, falling family and personal income and employment, inaccessible services and ongoing discrimination. • Additional exposure to these challenges faced by children and young people who are care experienced, young Roma, children with experience of vulnerable family situations, migration, poverty and disability and those vulnerable to CSE, trafficking and violence. • Response measures at national, local and organisational levels, introduced to try to address these challenges and mitigate risks, showing the value of and need for children’s participation, identifying experiences, concerns and solutions, including with children in vulnerable situations

Briefing: What children are saying to Childline about the coronavirus (11/05/2020)

The briefing provides an overview of the main concerns that children and young people have been talking to Childline counsellors about during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Between 21 January 2020 and 8 April 2020, Childline delivered 2,209 counselling sessions to children and young people who expressed concerns about coronavirus. Issues discussed included: mental health family relationships schoolwork bullying.

Safeguarding children in football - UEFA child safeguarding toolkit (11/05/2020)

The child safeguarding toolkit is part of the joint efforts of Terre des Hommes and he Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to develop a Europe-wide child safeguarding programme. Such programme will help ensuring a safe and positive experience for all children and young people who play football.

Report: Coronavirus: Impact on young people with mental health needs (25/03/2020)

The UK-based organisation YoungMinds carried out a survey at the end of March to enquire about the effects of the pandemic on young people with mental health problems. 2,111 young people between the ages of 13 and 25 participated in the survey, all of whom sought mental health support prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of all the respondents, 51% agreed that the coronavirus had somewhat of a negative impact on their mental health, and 32% stated that their mental health had become much worse due to the pandemic. Only 9% suggested that the condition of their mental health had remained the same.

Guest contribution by Commissioner Dalli: Special measures for the protection of women and children are needed throughout the EU (11/05/2020)

In a guest contribution in Frankfurter Rundschau, Commissioner Dalli underlines the importance of the social distancing measures to defeat the pandemic. However, the instances of domestic violence have spiked throughout the EU since various EU Member States have announced a state of emergency. Children and women are especially vulnerable when they are confined at home where it is not a safe place for them, Ms Dalli stated. Some EU Member States have already undertaken measures to reinforce the support for victims of domestic violence. Special measures for the protection of women and children are needed throughout the EU, and coronavirus should not prevent them from getting this protection. In particular, prevention services and support services must be classified as critical services, Ms Dalli urges. [full text in German only]

Report: Children's voices in times of Covid-19 (12/05/2020)

This research was conducted in March and April 2020 to explore children and young people’s reflections and perceptions on the COVID-19 outbreak. This research on young voices was organised in response to the young people’s continued child activism in the face of personal challenges. The consultation project included 101 children and young people (58 girls and 43 boys) between the ages of 8 and 17 from 13 countries: Albania, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Sierra Leone and Syrian refugee children living in refugee camps near the Turkish-Syrian border. The project embraced an intergenerational collaboration between two adult researchers and 12 young leaders, ages 13 to 18, who engaged as peer researchers.

SURVEY: Studying the impact of COVID-19 on migrants and refugees (12/05/2020)

ApartTogether is a global study coordinated by Ghent University and a research consortium of academics linked to Universities to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants and refugees. The study aims to better understand how refugees and migrants experience the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 and how they deal with any challenges that have arisen. Insights from the survey will be used to inform organisations and decision makers on how they can better support migrants and refugees during and after this pandemic. the survey is available in 31 languages.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Stateless Populations: Policy Recommendations and Good Practices (11/05/2020)

This paper outlines ways in which stateless persons and persons at risk of statelessness may be disproportionately impacted by the crisis and aims to provide governments and other stakeholders with recommendations and examples of good practices in these areas. Stateless persons and persons at risk of statelessness often lack legal residency status and may therefore be denied health services or need to pay excessive fees to gain access. Challenges faced by many stateless children and their families in accessing health services are documented by UNHCR in its I am Here: I Belong report. These challenges may also impact their access to testing and treatment for COVID-19. They are also likely to fear coming forward for testing or treatment lest they be subject to arrest or detention. When a vaccine becomes available, stateless persons and those at risk of statelessness may not be included in national immunization programs.

Statement on COVID-19 Protecting children (at risk of) going missing (28/04/2020)

The COVID-19 pandemic has a huge impact on individuals and societies, challenging us to adapt to new lifestyles, working conditions and social relationships. At the same time, the restrictive measures to limit the spread of the pandemic, have heightened the risks to which certain children are exposed. While fighting the virus that is shaking our society, we cannot neglect our responsibility and obligation to protect the most vulnerable among us.

Children in migration- Meet Apollo and Tiny (13/05/2020)

A campaign set up by Missing children Europe and Amina aims at helping those who want to help children in migration by increasing solidarity and compassion for children coming to Europe and creating a more welcoming societies. There are tips on how to change the narrative on conversations, some data on children in migration going missing and links to cartoon films about the trip on Tiny and Apollo.

Report: Understanding the housing conditions experienced by children in the EU (13/05/2020)

The provision of quality and affordable housing is an important mechanism for tackling child poverty, promoting the social inclusion of children and minimising the risk of homelessness among children in the EU. This memo outlines the housing conditions experienced by children across the EU and shows examples of actions taken by EU countries and at European level to improve the situation.

Campaign against child abuse: Behind the door (13/05/2020)

The aim of the campaing is to raise public awareness on how current COVID-19 restrictions affect vulnerable children at risk of abuse and call them to take actions if they suspect a child may be abused next door. Children who have been abused during times of COVID-19 virus suffer the most because they have to live quarantined with their abuser. The campaign video is currently shown on all national and local TV stations in Croatia. It was also adapted for radio stations and is being promoted there as well. The key visual can be adapted to multiple countries/cultures. For more information on that, please contact Ella Selak: Ella.Selak@poliklinika-djeca.hr

Safety Gate: Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products (13/05/2020)

The Safety gate website gives information about dangerous products found on the EU markets. Informaton is provided by the national authorities via the rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products - "Safety Gate". They include information about the type of products found, the risks posed and the measures taken at national level to prevent or restrict their marketing. It is possible to subscribe and personilise weekly reports.

Selected EU actions on children and coronavirus. (13/05/2020)

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the European Commission adopted a number of measures to counterbalance the negative effects of the different, necessary measures adopted by the EU Members States. Assistance has been also provided to the third countries. We asked colleagues to let us know the situation of children was addressed in these responses. Please check the the summary table (not exhaustive).

Call for proposal on safer online environment for children and young people (14/05/2020)

The European Commission has just published a call for proposal for a new pilot project on the Funding & Tenders portal, which will support efforts towards safer online environment for children and young people. The main objective of the project is to demonstrate an interoperable technical infrastructure dedicated to the implementation of child protection mechanisms (such as age verification) and parental consent mechanisms based on relevant EU legislation such as the AVMSD and GDPR. Please find more details in the Call document. The call will remain open until 15 July 2020 please have a look and don’t hesitate to share this information with relevant parties.

Webinar: KEEPING CHILDREN CONNECTED TO A PARENT IN PRISON in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond (26/05/2020)

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a spotlight on prisons: on the challenges in ensuring social distancing and protecting health and welfare, and on the consequent loss of contact for prisoners, their children and families while physical visits are suspended. Children and imprisoned parents need to stay connected and ways must be found for this to happen. This webinar will discuss how individuals, organisations and states across Europe are working to maintain contact between children and their parent in prison during the current pandemic.

Booklet: COVID-19 Global online safety advice for frontline workers supporting women. (14/05/2020)

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has developed Global online safety advice for frontline workers to support women experiencing tech-facilitated abuse during the #COVID19 pandemic. Topics include: Technology-facilitated abuse during COVID-19; Warning signs of technology-facilitated abuse; How to help; Online safety checklist; Keeping children safe; Planning for a safer future; and Self-care for those on the frontline.

17 May - International Child Helpline Day (17/05/2020)

The International Child Helpline Day (17 May) it’s a day to celebrate the achievements of child helpline members and raise awareness of child helplines in general. This year in particular, the Child Helpline International (CHI) wants to highlight the work that child helplines have been doing to support, protect and comfort children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Child helplines have noticed huge surges in the number of calls, texts and messages of children calling for help. In addition, the child helplines have been disseminating public health advice on their social media channels, delivering emergency supplies to children in need and providing tips to parents on how to speak to their child about the pandemic. Follow the CHI website, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages for more information and posts, #ICHD2020.

DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL 13.05.2020_DG JUST - Call for proposals: Increase awareness-raising and knowledge on the rights of the child and child participation - REC-RCHI-PROF-AG-2020 (15/01/2020)

The deadline for application for this call was extended until 13 May 2020. Priorities focus on awareness-raising and knowledge on the rights of the child and on child participation.

DEADLINE EXTENDED until 15.04.2020_DG JUST - Call for proposals to prevent and combat all forms of violence against children, young people and women - REC-RDAP-GBV-AG-2020 (15/01/2020)

The deadline for this call was extended until 15 April 2020. Priorities focus on victims of violence and peer violence.

Newsletter on rights of the child No 2/2020 (25/03/2020)

Dear Readers, we hope that you are all healthy and safe in this very challenging and uncertain moments. The second 2020 edition of the newsletter on the rights of the child will start with some information we gathered on how to make this current experience as stress free as possible for children. There is a lot of true and fake news out there and it may be difficult to navigate between them. That is why it is important to rely on verified and fact-based sources of information and keep the same principles when talking with children about the corona virus, isolation, quarantine and social distance. Stay safe.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe calls for the rights of the child to be strengthened (25/03/2020)

In a Declaration adopted few days ago, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe observed that, in times of crisis, States and society at large are at risk of overlooking or compromising on children’s rights, particularly those of children in a situation of vulnerability.

Digital Citizenship Education Handbook by Council of Europe (25/02/2019)

The Digital citizenship education handbook is intended for teachers and parents, education decision makers and platform providers. It offers information, tools and good practice to support the development of competences to empower and protect children, enabling them to live together as equals in today’s culturally diverse democratic societies, both on- and offline.

Good practice-Toy for inclusion (25/03/2020)

TOY for Inclusion is the gateway to education and care for many children of disadvantaged communities. The project has created eight Play Hubs for young children (0-8), that are toy libraries and spaces for parents and children to play together. They also offer a range of services to families, e.g. workshops on parenting. The project was co-funded by the European Commission-DG Justice ‘Rights Equality and Citizenship programme’ and the Open Society Foundations.

Global report 2019 - Progress towards ending corporal punishment for children (25/03/2020)

Myth buster on EU Funds and Independent Living (25/03/2020)

This publication addresses some of the misconceptions around how ESI Funds can and should be used, with regard to investments that affect disabled people’s right to live independently and to be included in the community. This right is set out in Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and further explained in the General Comment 5, adopted in 2017.

Protecting the Child from Poverty: The Role of Rights in the Council of Europe (13/11/2019)

The report focuses on the role of children’s rights in addressing child poverty in the Council of Europe. The author, Aoife Nolan, member of the European Committee of Social Rights and Professor of International Human Rights Law, makes clear how the European Social Charter as interpreted by the European Committee of Social Rights can serve as a framework or roadmap for state efforts to combat child poverty.

Deadline extended until 15.04.2020_DG JUST- Call for proposals on closing gender gaps over the life-course-REC-RGEN-WWLB-AG-2020 (21/01/2020)

This call for proposal focuses on two priorities: •Tackling gender stereotypes in education and early childhood care •Tackling gender stereotypes in educational and career choices in a digitalised world

Webinar on child statelessness (03/04/2020)

This webinar will explore how and why children in migration in Europe may be at risk of statelessness. It will look at who is affected and outline some of the current challenges and gaps in realising every child’s right to a nationality. It will also provide key recommendations for action at the national and regional level. Speakers: • Khadija Badri - Advocacy and Engagement Officer, European Network on Statelessness • Rabea Niggemeyer - Statelessness and Birth Registration Researcher, Germany

Researcher or research institute needed for a project on children on the move (25/03/2020)

Terre des Hommes is looking for a researcher or a research institute for a research project - a systematic documentary review of the risk of and protection from sexual exploitation of children on the move in one corridor of mobility in Africa. The project is commissioned by Terre des Hommes and the Destination Unknown network.

Massively open online course (MOOC) on trauma-informed care (25/03/2020)

The CarePath massively open online course (MOOC) on trauma-informed care is now available! Registrations are open until 1 May 2020:https://mooc.carepath-project.eu/

Conference- “Aftercare support for children leaving care: Learning lessons from across Europe” (25/03/2020)

The conference aims to exchange knowledge on lessons from across Europe on existing aftercare practices, identify gaps in national policy, legislation and service provision relating to psychosocial aftercare, and investigate how change can be driven at EU level. Registrations are now open and available here: https://eurochild.wufoo.com/forms/carepath-conference-april-2020/ *Eurochild is closely monitoring the situation in Belgium with the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus and currently assessing how it will impact our Conference. Consequently, we highly recommend that participants hold off on booking travel and accommodation arrangements until further notice. We will inform our members about precautionary measures and in case it needs to be cancelled. You can follow updates on the situation in Belgium on the official Belgian federal website: https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en

Promoting child-friendly approaches in the area of migration - Standards, guidance and current practices (08/01/2020)

The publication collates legal international standards, guidelines and a number of good practices that implement these standards. The compilation aims to support legal professionals, policy makers and professionals seeking to implement or advocate a child-rights-based approach to migration.

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN IMMIGRATION LAW (01/01/2020)

This book reflects the growing concern for children and children’s rights in immigration in academia and practice and shows the diversity of issues related to immigration and children, including family reunification, detention, participation, human trafficking and the rights of siblings in the context of migration, as well as the significance of regional legal systems and infrastructures for the protection of children on the move.

Sweden officially incorporated UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into the Swedish legal system. (01/01/2020)

On 1st of January 2020 the UNCRC was officially incorporated in the Swedish legislation (The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Act (2018:1197)). Incorporation of the CRC gives it the status of Swedish law, entailing a clearer obligation on courts and legal practitioners to consider the rights that follow from the CRC in deliberations and assessments that are part of decision-making processes in cases and matters concerning children.

Edy-Care Final Conference (19/02/2020)

On Wednesday 19th February, Eurocarers co-hosted the final conference of the Edy-Care Project. The final conference, which took place in Brussels, brought together a wide range of stakeholders in the education and caring sectors interested in better understanding the challenges faced by young carers in balancing their educational needs with their caring responsibilities and to learn about practical ways to support young carers in schools.

Monitoring guardianship for unaccompanied foreign children implementing Art.11 of Law No 47/2017 (25/03/2020)

The project aims to provide adequate resources to build up a quantitative and qualitative knowledge base with a view to supporting and encouraging the development of the guardianship system and enhancing the experiences gained over time or thanks to the actions carried out as part of this project. The project is financed with the European resources of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) 2014-20, Ministry of the Interior.

Supporting children during the Corona Virus (25/03/2020)

Here we put together a selection of links to tools, videos and other resources that may help children children and their parents deal with the current coronavirus situation.

Gender Equality Strategy: Striving for a Union of equality (05/03/2020)

On 5 March 2020 the Commission presented its strategy for equality between women and men in Europe 2020-2025. It sets out key actions for the next five years and commits to ensure that the Commission will include an equality perspective in all EU policy areas. The Strategy outlines how the Commission will deliver on the promise.

New Strategy for the Implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (19/03/2020)

Roadmap on New Strategy for the Implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights is opened for consultations until 16 April 2020 on Have your say website.