Brussels, 24/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - After the initiatives announced by the European Commission (see EUROPE 10024), other groups and bodies have spoken on children's rights and announced their future action marking the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was celebrated on 20 November.
EP: launch of online children's rights platform
An online platform - http://www.ihaveavoice.eu - was inaugurated in Brussels on 17 November as part of the European Parliament's children's week, at a launch attended by Heidi Hautala, chairwoman of the EP human rights sub-committee. The decisions taken by European policy-makers affect the lives of millions of children throughout the world. Children might be too young to vote, but their voices count too, says a press release, which notes that, with this unique global participation platform “I cannot vote but I have a voice!”, Plan EU is making children's voices count. “EU policy-makers have the duty to promote, protect and fulfil children's rights and to ensure that children have a say in decision-making processes that affect them,” said Deepali Sood, Head of the Plan EU Liaison Office. On an interactive world map, young people around the world can tell politicians what they expect them to do for children's rights.
EESC: children's rights should be at heart of EU policy
In a statement published on 20 November, the chairwoman of the employment, social affairs and citizenship section of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) said: “There is a need for a comprehensive EU strategy to effectively promote and safeguard the rights of the child in the EU's policies, both internally and externally, and to support member states' efforts in this important field.” Noting that the EESC has a long-standing tradition of campaigning for the protection of children's rights and acknowledges that there are still many challenges as regards securing children's rights throughout Europe, Leila Kurki said that the Committee would continue its efforts to ensure that children can develop their personalities, abilities and talents to the fullest potential and grow up in an environment of happiness, love and understanding. “Children and young people should have access to high-quality education and healthcare,” she added. The EESC is calling for child-friendly cities and focus on children's needs and place in society from an inter-generational point of view, Kurki went on to say, stressing that children should be protected from domestic violence, as victims and as witnesses.
Fourth World People's University: “What a child needs to grow”
Also as part of the events marking the 20th anniversary of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, the movement ATD Fourth World will hold its People's University at its international centre in Pierrelaye (95, France) from 9.30am to 5.00pm on Saturday 5 December. The topic for this meeting will be, “Who and what does a child need to grow?” Delegates from Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom will take part, along with other anti-poverty and social exclusion players (primary school teachers, social workers, members of NGOs, European officials and political leaders).
The aim of the meeting of 5 December is to create dialogue among participants to improve mutual understanding and bring forward new proposals for individual, civil or political action, which will be presented at the plenary session in the afternoon. There will be five workshops in the morning on (1) children's living conditions, when, for example, they live with no fixed abode with their parents; (2) education/school (often with underachievement); (3) education/family life; (4) children's words; (5) children's contribution, especially to denial of poverty.
With the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010 about to begin, it is important that the poorest can themselves make proposals to those in the European institutions, ATD Fourth World says in its press release. For information: delegation.ue@atd-quartmonde.org (G.B./transl.rt)