Context

The Joint European Union-Council of Europe Child-friendly Justice project is an innovative 27-month initiative driven by the combined efforts of the Council of Europe and the European Commission and implemented by the Children’s Rights Division of the Council of Europe. Launched on 1 January 2024, the project aims to improve the protection of children in contact with the law – as offenders, victims, witnesses or parties in non-judicial, judicial (such as civil and criminal cases) and administrative proceedings – across Europe at national and local levels.

By aligning with priorities of the European Union Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2022-2027), the project strives to ensure that children's rights are not only recognized but actively upheld throughout their contact with the justice system. In this regard, the project facilitates the practical implementation of the Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Child-friendly Justice aiming to support the set-up of national justice systems which guarantee the respect and the effective implementation of all children’s rights at the highest attainable level before, during and after judicial proceedings. The Council of Europe Child-friendly Justice Assessment Tool, which will operationalise the Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Child-friendly Justice, will be finalised and rolled-out in the framework of the project.

Belgium, Poland, and Slovenia have been selected as focus countries to pilot the implementation of activities at national and local level to collect data, identify gaps, improve legislation, policies, and practices. The three focus countries will implement the following activities:

-          Through the roll-out of the Council of Europe Child-friendly Justice Assessment Tool, recommendations to adapt the legislative and policy framework in line with the Council of Europe and European Union standards related to child-friendly justice will be formulated.

-          Capacities of specialised staff with respect to child-friendly procedures will be strengthened with the support of the Council of Europe Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals Programme (HELP) that includes a specific course on child-friendly justice and which will be to the national context and needs.

-          Awareness of children in contact with the law and their parents will be raised on children’s rights before, during and after judicial proceedings. A particular attention will be paid to parents/guardians with potential vulnerabilities such as disabilities, psychosocial distress, parents/guardians in contact with the law, etc.

Besides, Greece, Hungary, and Portugal have joined the project as partner countries. They will contribute by sitting in the Steering Committee and providing their perspectives and insights to the project, enriching the overall approach and ensuring its effectiveness across diverse European contexts.

Project Launch Conference Programme

8:30-9:00

Registration of participants

09:00-9:30

Welcoming remarks

·         Marie-Cécile Rouillon, Coordinator for the Rights of the Child, European Commission – Online via Zoom

·         Regina Jensdottir, Head of the Children’s Rights Division, Council of Europe

9:30-10:00

Keynote speech

·         Astrid Podsiadlowski, Head of Social Rights Sector, Equality, Roma and Social Rights Unit, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights – Online via Zoom

10:00-10:30

Presentation of the Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Child-friendly Justice

·         Katrin Uerpmann, Secretary of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on the Rights of the Child

10:30-10:45

Coffee break

10:45-11:15

Presentation of the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals Programme (HELP) course on Child-friendly Justice

·         Zaruhi Gasparyan, Head of Cooperation Projects Unit, Children’s Rights Division, Council of Europe

11:15-11:45

Presentation of the Joint European Union-Council of Europe Child-friendly Justice Project

·         Anne-Laure Baulieu, Senior Project Officer, Children’s Rights Division, Council of Europe

·         Marta Tarragona Fenosa, Legal and Policy Officer, Rights of the Child, European Commission

11:45-12:00

Closing Remarks

·         Marta Tarragona Fenosa, Legal and Policy Officer, Rights of the Child, European Commission

·         Zaruhi Gasparyan, Head of Cooperation Projects Unit, Children’s Rights Division, Council of Europe