scholarly journals International Perspectives on Child-responsive Courts

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Duerr Berrick ◽  
Jonathan Dickens ◽  
Tarja Pösö ◽  
Marit Skivenes

Child friendly justice and access to justice for children are explicit concerns for the European Union, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Council of Europe and the Child Rights International Network. This study examines court systems as child-responsive by eliciting the views of judicial decision makers on child protection cases (n = 1,479) in four legal systems (England, Finland, Norway and the USA (represented by California)), based on an online survey. In this paper, we asked judicial officials who have the authority to make care order decisions how they view the child-friendliness of the courts. We presented them with six statements representing standard features of child responsive courts. Findings show that there is considerable room for improving both structure and practice of the court proceedings, for example the use of child friendly language and child-sensitive time frames. There were variations across states, and some variation across type of decision maker. Implications for the development of education and training about the opportunities for children’s engagement are considered.

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 81-101
Author(s):  
Justyna Kusztal

The aim of the article is to present the legal status and the state of scientific research on the implementation of national policy on the protection of the rights of children forced to participate in court proceedings. It is based on a method of analysis of the content of formal documents and selected research reports in the years 2015–2018 concerning the issues of child protection in contact with the justice system. The analysis of the research reports has led us to the conclusion that it is necessary to prepare judges and the police for the interrogation of children, but also to prepare them for contact with the institutional justice system through competently organised education on children’s rights.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-332
Author(s):  
Hrefna Friðriksdóttir ◽  
Hafdís Gísladóttir

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the rights of children in various justice systems. The interpretation of international instruments, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child legalized in Iceland as law 19/2013, places a strong emphasis on strengthening the status of the child. The concept of child-friendly justice has emerged reflecting a vision of a justice system that has adapted to the interests and needs of children. A key element is ensuring the right of the child to participate, building on the notion that participation actively promotes their citizenship in a democratic society. The complexity of child protection cases makes it imperative to ensure that children get the assistance they need to communicate and be able to influence procedures. This article discusses the development of provisions in child protection laws on the appointment of spokespersons for children and represents the findings of a study done on such appointments with various child protection committees. The main results of this research indicate that the development of the law has been positive. The enforcement does not however reflect these develpments and there is a lack of formality, assessment and satisfactory argumentation.


Author(s):  
Mariëlle R. Bruning ◽  
Jaap E. Doek

AbstractIn the European context, an understanding that States are responsible for an effective child protection system is well established. Further, all 47 members of the CoE have adopted the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and all European countries have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Thus, States have come to understand their responsibility in terms of the child’s right to protection. The aim of this article is to explicate core elements of an effective child protection system within a child’s rights framework. This aim is accomplished by highlighting and providing analysis of the principles set forth in the CRC and further elaborated in General Comment No. 13 (2011) and by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the main components of policies and other relevant documents of the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe (CoE), and caselaw from the European Court of Human Rights (ECrtHR) and then presenting recommendations for an effective State-run child protection system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 115-133

This article examines relevant issues of criminal proceedings in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments have focused their efforts on protecting democratic values and ensuring not only the rights and legitimate interests of their people, but also their lives and health. At the same time, the pandemic has affected not only the economies of countries, but also their democratic development and fundamental rights, which have always been a priority of any democratic society. Courts and law enforcement authorities have faced challenges that have been and still are adequately addressed in order to ensure that the rights and legitimate interests of those seeking judicial protection are respected. Each state independently assessed the degree of risks and the extent of permissible restrictions on the rights and freedoms of persons involved in the proceedings, so the present study analyses the different approaches that have been applied. At the same time, documents of the Council of Europe for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) have gained high importance, because they, among others, have developed tools for Council of Europe member states to address the problems of ensuring access to justice in the pandemic. The generalization and widespread discussion of such experiences is important, because it will be useful for states to further improve existing legislation, taking into account best practices. Based on a study of changes introduced in the Ukrainian legislation to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease, conclusions are proposed about the nature and extent of the restrictions, as well as the principles on which they should be based and the guarantees to be provided. Recommendations that will contribute to improving the regulation of access to justice in criminal matters in a pandemic are also proposed. Key words: justice in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; access to justice in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; judicial control over the protection of rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of persons in criminal proceedings; the investigating judge; reasonable terms of criminal proceedings; publicity and openness of court proceedings; trial by videoconference.


2011 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigel A Thomas ◽  
Karl C Hanson ◽  
Brian B Gran

AbstractThis article attempts to understand the distinctive role of independent human rights institutions for children (IHRICs) in Europe, in the context of the proposed EU strategy on the rights of the child. It begins by explaining the distinctive characteristics of IHRICs, their presence, location and organisation in Europe, and the role of the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC). It goes on to examine their developing relationships, individually and collectively, with European institutions (in particular the institutions of the European Union, but also with reference to the Council of Europe). The article draws on observations of the annual conference of ENOC in 2010, and on interviews with members of ENOC. The article follows this with a discussion of how IHRICs may be understood as operating at the interface of regional, national, European and global mechanisms, and concludes with a review of current issues and some questions for future research.


2022 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 476-502
Author(s):  
Yayan Sopyan

As one of the countries that ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990 which was subsequently promulgated into the Child Protection Act, Indonesia is still unsuccessful in protecting children. This mainly occurs in the context of protection illegal migrant workers’ children who were born in the country where their parents work. In Sarawak, Malaysia, for instance, there are 43,445 stateless children. This study aims to portray the stateless children in Sarawak, Malaysia, and the efforts of the Indonesian government to protect their right to access justice. This research is normative-qualitative with observations and in-depth interviews with consultant general staff and Indonesian volunteers In Sarawak as one of the main research methods. The results of this study indicate that stateless condition makes it possible for the children to get other rights, such as education. Meanwhile, the Indonesian government has already made regulations and efforts to provide access to basic human rights for children of stateless migrant workers, including itsbat nikah abroad to legalize unregistered marriage among workers. However, it has not been fully successful because the problems are so complex that it needs to involve several parties, especially the Malaysian government, and plantation owners as employers of the migrant workers. Likewise, harder and more coordinated efforts are also needed to fulfill their citizenship right. (Sebagai salah satu negara yang meratifikasi Konvensi PBB tentang Hak Anak pada 1990 dan kemudian dikristalkan menjadi Undang-undang Perlidungan Anak, Indonesia ternyata belum sepenuhnya berhasil melindungi hak-hak anak. Ini utamanya berlaku dalam konteks perlindungan terhadap anak para buruh migran yang lahir dan tinggal di negara tempat orang tuanya bekerja. Di Sarawak, Malaysia, ada 43.445 anak-anak tanpa kewarganegaraan. Penelitian ini bertujuan memotret kondisi anak buruh migran ilegal tanpa kewarganegaraan di Serawak, Malaysia, serta menjelaskan upaya pemerintah Indonesia untuk melindungi hak-hak mereka. Penelitian ini bersifat normatif-kualitatif dengan observasi dan wawancara mendalam kepada pegawai Konsulat Jenderal dan relawan Indonesia sebagai salah satu metode penggalian data utamanya. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa status tanpa kewarganegaraan menghalangi anak-anak tersebut mengakses hak-haknya yang lain, semisal pendidikan. Sementara itu, pemerintah Indonesia sudah memiliki beberapa aturan tertulis dan berupaya memberikan akses keadilan bagi anak para buruh migran tersebut, termasuk melalui program itsbat nikah di luar negeri. Namun demikian, situasi belum sepenuhnya terkendali karena permasalahan yang begitu kompleks dan mengharuskan keterlibatan banyak pihak, utamanya pemerintah Malaysia dan para pemilik perkebunan. Perlu juga dilakukan upaya yang lebih keras dan terkordinasi agar hak-hak tersebut dapat terpenuhi.)


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-255
Author(s):  
Marcin Wielec

The considerations undertaken in the scientific article constitute an analysis and evaluation of the solutions included in the government's legislative proposal aimed to change the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Family and Guardianship Code, and the Law on the System of Common Courts with regard to the position of minor victims. The legislative initiative is a significant change that aims to improve the protection of children participating in criminal procedures. This legal act’s draft indicates the provision of a special position to children in the criminal procedure. If children happen to be the aggrieved parties in criminal procedures, they deserve to be met by the court and participants with exceptional awareness and sensitivity. I am of the opinion that the criminal procedure must be structured in such a way that the participating children feel safe. The judiciary should aim to be child-friendly. It is extremely important that children feel understood as well as they understand the new legal reality in which they find themselves. In this analysis, I have referred to the regulations on the protection of children's rights under the international law and the law of the European Union. In this study, I have laid emphasis on the point that the proposed legislative solutions should meet the assumptions of the European directives issued by the European Union institutions as well as the Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on child-friendly justice, the main act on the protection of children's rights issued by the Council of Europe.


Temida ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 3-10
Author(s):  
Nevenka Zegarac

Trafficking in children is particularly severe form of exploitation and breach of the children rights, while security and welfare of children that are exposed to trafficking are obligations of state authorities, services and organizations of civil society. System of protection and support to children victims of trafficking should contain following: criteria for proper identification of child-victim of trafficking, mechanisms for immediate referring of a child to specialized services, procedures for appointing a guardian who will secure that procedures and decisions are in accordance with the best interest of child, measures for regulating of residential status, assistance with reparation and reintegration as well as measures for protection of children witnesses and victims of trafficking. Finally, it should include a proper access to justice. In the article, recommendations are proposed for improvement of identification system, proper evaluation of needs and planning services and protection measures as well as measures and activities which should secure long term solutions in accordance with rights of the child and her/his best interests.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Stalford ◽  
Liam Cairns ◽  
Jeremy Marshall

Making the justice process ‘child friendly’ is a key priority for the children’s rights community. An abundance of commentary has been produced by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to highlight how justice proceedings can be made more accessible for children and, in 2010, the Council of Europe issued its comprehensive ‘Guidelines on Child Friendly Justice’. Despite these efforts, children remain ill-informed, not just about the nature of justice proceedings in which they may be implicated, but about the very existence and scope of their rights and how to enforce them. Despite unequivocal acknowledgement that the availability and accessibility of information is the crucial starting point in a children’s rights-based approach to dispensing justice, there has been surprisingly little attempt to scrutinise the availability, quality and accessibility of information about laws and policies affecting children. This article takes a closer look at what, exactly, ‘child friendly’ information means in practice. In doing so, we argue that attempts to develop child friendly information have yet to progress beyond adult-driven, largely tokenistic and superficial re-branding exercises. As such, efforts to develop child friendly resources are often of limited value in empowering young people to develop their legal literacy and realise their rights in practice. We reflect on our attempt to develop an explicitly children’s rights-based approach to the development of child friendly resources with a view to enhancing their purchase. This took place in the context of a pilot project, commissioned by the Council of Europe in June 2014, to create a child friendly version of their Child Friendly Justice Guidelines.


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