Today marks the launch of a new European Union - Council of Europe joint Child-friendly Justice Project in Strasbourg. The project, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe's Children's Rights Division in close co-operation with Belgium, Poland and Slovenia as focus countries, and Greece, Hungary and Portugal as partner countries, will run until the end of March 2026.
Children in contact with the law - as offenders, victims, witnesses, or parties in judicial and non-judicial proceedings - often face an intimidating and potentially harmful adult world, and a number of challenges due to their status as children. The project stems from the shared commitment of the European Union and Council of Europe to address these gaps and make justice systems child-friendly in Europe. In line with the Council of Europe Strategy's for the Rights of the Child (2022-2027), and the European Union's Strategy on the Rights of the Child the project aims at implementing the Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Child-friendly Justice.
The main project objective is to improve the protection of the rights of children in contact with the law. The Council of Europe's Child-friendly Justice Assessment Tool will be finalised and rolled out in Belgium, Poland, and Slovenia - the three selected project focus countries. This tool will assess their legal and policy frameworks against European standards and provide concrete recommendations for improvement. Then, legal and non-legal professionals working for and with children in contact with the law will receive targeted training through the Council of Europe's HELP programme on child-friendly justice, ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge to apply child-friendly procedures effectively. Besides, children in contact with the law and their guardians, especially those facing vulnerabilities, will be empowered through awareness-raising activities about their rights before, during and after judicial or non-judicial proceedings. The three project partner countries - Greece, Hungary and Portugal - will contribute their unique perspectives and insights to the project Steering Committee, enriching the overall approach and ensuring its effectiveness across diverse European contexts.
In her opening remarks, Regina Jensdottir, Head of the Children's Rights Division and the Council of Europe Coordinator for the Rights of the Child, underlined that "this project represents a significant step forward, but it is just the beginning […] Today, we call on everyone - governments, legal professionals, educators, and civil society - to join forces behind this noble cause. By working together, we can build a society where every child, regardless of their situations, can access and benefit from a child-friendly justice system".
Marie-Cécile Rouillon, European Commission's Coordinator for the Rights of the Child, noted that "It is crucial to join forces to better equip justice systems to address children's needs and rights in the European Union. I am very pleased that the European Commission and Council of Europe have teamed up on this joint project. Warmest thanks to all Member States that committed to participate and are eager to improve how their justice systems work with and for children."
The launching conference and first project Steering Committee meeting have brought together representatives of relevant national ministries and institutions from Belgium, Poland, Slovenia (focus countries), Greece, Hungary and Portugal (partner countries), who will work closely to achieve the objective of the project. The conference has offered an opportunity to present an overview of the state of play of child-friendly justice across Europe, the Council of Europe Guidelines on Child-friendly Justice and HELP programme on child-friendly justice.
