In cooperation with partner organizations, the Child Rights Centre participated in the development of a policy brief: JUST with children! Child-friendly justice for every child in Europe, as a response to the consultation on the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child for the period from 2021 to 2024, which was submitted to the European Commission on November 30, 2020.
The document focuses on the rights of the child in the justice system, including civil, criminal and administrative procedures. It points out at the importance and necessity of respecting the rights of the child, as well as the rights in the justice system that is adapted to children and inclusive for every child with zero tolerance towards discrimination.
The policy brief indicates the priorities to the European Commission and provides concrete recommendations to ensure access to child-friendly justice in Europe. Also, children who had been in contact with the justice system were consulted in the preparation of the document, through organizations dealing with the rights of the child and child-friendly justice.
Topics and challenges highlighted at the regional preparatory meeting held in June 2020 as part of the Global Initiative “Justice for Children” were included for the upcoming World Congress on Justice with Children, which will be held in Mexico in 2021. The document discusses the specific challenges of building strong child justice systems in Europe, as well as the key principles of child-friendly justice.
The following were participated in the development of the document: Terre des hommes (Europe region), Bureau International Catholique pour l’Enfance (BICE), Chidl Rights Centre – Serbia, Défense des Enfants International – Belgique, Defence for Children The Netherlands, European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ), International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates (IAYFJM), Leiden Law School, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights (BIM), Penal Reform International (PRI), Restorative Justice Netherlands (RJN) i Social Activities and Practice Institute (SAPI) – Bulgaria
The document is available in English at the following link.
