On the road to build Europe with children

by Maarit KuikkaProgramme Advisor

Building a Europe for and with children programmeRound Table

Helsinki, FinlandDecember 2, 2009

Building a Europe for and with children; first three years

2006 - 2008• Third Summit Mandate

– To mainstream children’s rights in all CoE policies

– To coordinate all children-related activities in CoE

– To eradicate all forms of violence against children

• Building a Europe for and with children, 3-year-programme launched in Monaco 2006

Council of Europe Conventions on children & participation

• Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

• European Social Charter and revised Social Charter• European Convention of the Adoption of Children • CoE Convention on the Protection of Children against

Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse• CoE Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human

Beings• European Convention on Contact Concerning Children• European Convention on the Exercise of Children’s Rights• European Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of

Decisions concerning Custody of Children and on Restoration of Custody of Children

Recommendations on child and youth participation

• Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation on promoting the participation by children in decisions affecting them (2009)

• Recommendation CM/Rec(2009)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on electronic democracy (e-democracy)

• Recommendation CM/Rec (2006)14 on citizenship and participation of young people in public life, and (2006)13 on the role of national youth councils in youth policy development

• Recommendation on the revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life by the Congress (2003)

– Have Your Say – manual

Council of Europe

• 47 member states

• Bodies: – Committee of Ministers– Parliamentary Assembly– Congress of Local and Regional Authorities– Commissioner of Human Rights– European Court of Human Rights– Conference of INGOs

Council of Europe

Secretariat: – Secretary General Mr Thorbjörn Jagland– Debuty Secretary General Mrs Maud Boer de Buquicchio

– DG Democracy and Political Affairs– DG Human Rights and Legal Affairs– DG III Social Cohesion– DG IV Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport

Council of Europe; tools

1. Standard setting2. Monitoring3. Policy development4. Awareness raising, education,

training5. Bilateral cooperation and

technical assistance

Building a Europe for and with children; Stockholm strategy 2009 - 2011

”Provision, Protection and Participation for Children in Europe”

Thematic pillars:– Child participation– Child-friendly justice– Violence against children

with the focus on most marginalized and vulnerable

children

Seminar on Meaningful and Sustainable Child participation

Stockholm, September 8th 2009

”If you think our ideas are wrong, it won’t stop us from thinking”

Carolyne Willow:

• Respect

• Routine

• Results

Objectives for the actions on child participation in the framework of the Strategy 2009 - 2011

Support of sustainable and meaningful participation at local, national and international level, notably through:

– Integrating child participation in the various policy areas (mainstreaming),

– developing standards and methodologies,– creating opportunities for dialogue between decision-

makers and children, including access to decision- and policy-making structures and processes, and exchanging good practices.

Objectives for the actions on child participation in the framework of the Strategy 2009 - 2011

development of an inclusive approach, focused on schools, health-care systems, justice systems, residential care, families and also targeting particularly vulnerable children;

empowerment of children by human rights education, by developing and disseminating information in a child-friendly language, in print and on the Internet.

DG IV; CoE and Youth – co-management

Council of Europe actions on participation

of children and young people under the age of 18

Building structures for work and coordination:

1. A designated programme officer

2. Roadmap 2009 - 2011

3. Website

4. Inter-secretariat working group KID-IN

5. Ad-Hoc Advisory Group on Child and Youth Participation

Launch of the Council of Europe project on child participation

Round Table in Helsinki, December 2, 2009

Roadmap 2009 - 2011

Mandate of the Advisory Group: • Pilot scheme on child participation in

interested member states – Policy review– E-forum?– Training professionals?-> Guidelines

• Recommendation on child participation?First meeting of the Advisory Group on Dec

1st 2009

Roadmap 2009 - 2011

Mainstreaming child participation in CoE policies

• Child-friendly justice• Healthcare in Europe – for and with

children• Children in care• Campaign against sexual exploitation

and sexual abuse of children• Disability sector• E-democracy and Internet safety

Roadmap 2009 - 2011Education, training and child-friendly

information• Development of the web pages on child

participation at www.coe.int/children • Publications

• Compasito• Have your say!• A revised edition on Children, participation, projects –

how to make it work• A new child-friendly “Treaty series” • A fairy tales book on children’s rights• A brochure on children in care

• Training for the media and for authorities and professionals working with and for children (Compasito training and other training sessions focusing on child participation)