pRotEcting migrant chiLdrEn AgainSt detention through the EU Charter

2026-07-22

Building on the results of the applicants’ recent project work supported by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (CADRE project), the proposed Action allows for this strong consortium of partners to deepen and expand existing work with a strong focus on strategic litigation and alternatives to detention (AtD) for migrant children. The project aims to contribute to a favourable EU environment to protect migrant children from detention. First, it aims to increase the ability of specialized migration lawyers, civil society and NHRIs from the six selected EU Member States to develop and implement efficient litigation strategies in relation to (alternatives to) the detention of migrant children in order to promote and protect their rights based on article 24 of the EU Charter and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (SO1). Second, it aims to increase awareness of the impact detention has on children, for lawyers, civil society and public authorities from the target MSs (SO2). Final beneficiaries of the project are children in migration at risk of being subjected to unlawful detention or whose rights may be violated in alternatives to detention in the focus countries, and over the long-term across the EU. Main activities are an on-line opening workshop, six national trainings in six EU Member States, three transnational exchange workshops, follow-up mentoring, updates to the case-law database, a Guide for lawyers on strategic litigation related to detention of children in migration, a communications campaign and audio-visual materials with information for migrant children, and final dissemination of the results and outputs. The key long-term impact sought is to make sure that the best interests of the child become the more judicially relevant element in case-law of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the EU jurisprudence, and to explore other litigation avenues.

Belgium

2025-10-15