Towards Child Friendly Justice in Europe in 2025

ongoing

In Europe, children come into contact with the justice system in many different ways. This can be for family matters such as divorce or adoption, in administrative justice for nationality or immigration issues or in criminal justice as victims, witnesses or as suspects and/or accused of crimes. They may also need to reach a justice system seeking for remedies when their rights are not fully respected. While significant progress was made, justice systems remain insufficiently adapted to children’s rights, needs, level of maturity, and understanding. Since 2022, the CFJ-EN pursues its efforts towards ensuring that children in Europe can access age appropriate, inclusive, and diligent services, and that practitioners are equipped to implement child friendly justice. In 2025, the CFJ-EN will continue to focus on 4 specific objectives: 1. Strengthening Children’s Agency; 2. Build the capacities of CFJ-EN Members and professionals working with children in Europe to implement CFJ; 3. Raise awareness of European/national policy makers to commit resources and legal changes to ensure that justice systems are child friendly; 4. Build the capacities of the CFJ-EN so that children in contact with the justice system have their rights promoted, respected and fulfilled. The CFJ-EN will produce among others an annual handbook, a how-to-guide for professionals to work with young justice transformers, an academic event, an annual seminar, three flagship campaigns, an interactive map on child-friendly justice, a database of training opportunities on child-friendly justice, a European webinar and, through a FSTP scheme, child participation activities and a child justice caravan. Having grown to federate 31 Members across 20 European countries, the CFJ-EN targets through its activities children in contact with the justice system, so-called young justice transformers, regional and national-level policy makers and practitioners, and European Networks defending children’s rights.