Project Scope
The project embeds a child rights-based approach into national systems to ensure children are heard and can participate meaningfully in legal proceedings, especially in cases of sexual abuse and exploitation. It will build the capacity of 400 justice professional judges, prosecutors, lawyers, police inspectors, and psychologists through trauma-informed, gender-sensitive, and inclusive training.
General Objective
To support the EU strategy on the Rights of the Child and the Commission Recommendation on developing and strengthening integrated child protection system in the best interests of the child. To embrace and respect a child rights-based and be clearly grounded in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Specific Objective
- To embed a child rights perspective in national justice systems
- To strengthen the capacity of justice professionals to engage respectfully and effectively with child victims
- To reduce the risk of re-victimisation and secondary trauma in judicial proceedings
- To promote children's participation in justice system reform
- To foster transnational cooperation and mutual learning among EU justice systems
Activities
- Ethical and compliance, and risk management; needs assessment through lifeworld analysis, legal mapping, and identification of trauma-informed gaps.
Partners
- Portugal: Universidade Nova De Lisboa (UNL) (Coordinator)
- Cyprus: "Hope For Children" CRC Policy Center
- Portugal: Associacao Godinhela -Investigacao E Desenvolvimento / Procuradoria-Geral da Republica / Ordem Dos Advogados / Associacao Iscte Conhecimento E Inovacao - Centro De Valorizacao E Transferencia De Tecnologias and Ordem Dos Psicologos Portugueses
- Netherlands: Universiteit Leiden and Stichting Child Helpline International
- Spain: Universidad de Salamanca
The associated partners are Conselho Superior da Magistratura and Direcao Geral da Politica de Justicia from Portugal.
Funding Reference
- The project is co-funded by the CERV-2025-CHILD programme of the European Commission.
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