On the road to build Europe with children

On the road to build Europe with children by Maarit Kuikka Programme Advisor Building a Europe for and with children programme Round Table Helsinki, Finland December 2, 2009

Building a Europe for and with children; first three years 2006 - 2008 • Third Summit Mandate – – – • To mainstream children’s rights in all Co. E policies To coordinate all children-related activities in Co. E 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 Co. E Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse Co. E 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 (edemocracy) 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. 2. 3. 4. Standard setting Monitoring Policy development Awareness raising, education, training 5. 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 8 th 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 decisionmakers 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; Co. E 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 1 st 2009

Roadmap 2009 - 2011 Mainstreaming child participation in Co. E 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 - 2011 Education, 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)