Separated Children in Judicial Proceedings: Access to justice for Separated Trafficked and/or Asylum Seeking Children

Brussels - October 19/20 2017

OCT 19 Event Opening at an Evening Reception (16:00 – 19:00):

Keynote speech: The role of the justice system in protecting the rights of separated migrant children at risk in Europe. Panel Discussion: Looking to the future: what can we expect? The changing landscape of EU law and the issues confronting separated trafficked and/or asylum seeking children

OCT 20: Expert seminar & training for professionals involved in justice proceedings (9:00-15:30).

What is the Separated Children in Judicial Proceedings Project? Children may become separated from their parents or be at risk of separation from one or both parents (or custodial family members) for a variety of reasons, including in instances of relocation and international child abduction, migrant children, children being taken into public care, children who are imprisoned or children whose parents are imprisoned. These children have a lot in common in that actual or threatened separation from parents leaves them in a vulnerable position. Similar procedural questions can arise across the different contexts such as have they difficulties accessing or participating in proceedings. Similar substantive law questions arise, including how to assess their best interests? The Separated Children in Judicial Proceedings Project examines how to have more child centred proceedings, decisions and outcomes across these cases, learning from jurisprudence & practical experiences in each context. It aims to build capacity for legal professionals (including judges) and other stakeholders involved in litigation in ensuring child centred justice in all judicial proceedings involving separated children.

EXPLORING:

• Guiding principles of international and European law to ensure child centred justice for separated migrant children at risk with a focus on EU instruments concerning international protection, trafficking and return

• Landmark European jurisprudence from the European Court of Human Rights, the European Court of Justice and the European Committee of Social Rights

• Taking cases to the international and European mechanisms: European Court of Human Rights, the European Committee on Social Rights, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

• Planning Litigation: addressing key practical issues in litigation (including a multidisciplinary approach, transnational concerns)

Target Audience: Legal professionals & judges in Belgium and neighbouring countries, organisations involved in supporting separated children involved in litigation, professionals involved in multi-disciplinary child centred justice, organisations involved in international and European litigation, EU and regional actors involved in child friendly justice, children’s ombudspersons, legal academics

Registration details: Registration for this event is free. Please note that places are limited and that confirmation of places will be sent by emails starting from September 15 2017. For further information please contact: Rebecca O'Donnell (Child Circle) at rebecca@childcircle.eu and/or Adriana Tidona (AIRE Centre) at separatedchildren@airecentre.org.

Event Location: Hosted by the Committee of the Regions Rue Belliard 101 - B-1040 Brussels, web: www.cor.europa.eu