From January 2025 to December 2026, FORUM, together with its partners, is implementing VOICE project (Be Seen, Be Heard – Empowering Child VOICEs in Legal Proceedings). This initiative aims to ensure active and meaningful participation of children in legal proceedings, aligning with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, and other international and EU legal standards. Despite these comprehensive frameworks, the actual realization of the right to be heard remains inconsistent across the European Union. To address this gap, the project focuses on promoting child-sensitive approaches, provide training, and advocate for systemic changes that ensure the effective realization of children’s right to be heard and participate meaningfully in judicial systems across the EU, particularly by targeting legal professionals and other stakeholders.
Project Partners
- International Commission of Jurists (Belgium)– Project Coordinator
- Nederlands Juristen Comite Voor Demensenrechten (Netherlands)
- Aditus Foundation (Malta)
- ICJ Austria (Austria)
Objectives
- Enhance capacity among legal professionals on children’s rights, with a focus on children facing vulnerabilities.
- Facilitate the exchange of best practices and collaboration among practitioners in the five target EU countries.
- Raise awareness about the importance of a child-centric approach in legal proceedings and children’s right to be heard and participate.
Final Beneficiaries
Primary beneficiaries: justice professionals, lawyers, judges, prosecutors, social workers, probation officers, and national authorities.
Ultimate beneficiaries: children, particularly those in vulnerable situations, such as:
- Children in alternative care
- Refugee and migrant children
- Children with disabilities
- Children experiencing poverty and social exclusion
Main Activities
- Kick-off Meetings: Two online meetings to establish project management strategies and coordination.
- Project Management Group (PMG) Meetings: Regular online meetings to monitor progress, address challenges, and ensure coordination.
- Baseline Study: Methodology development and analysis to identify existing gaps in children’s participation rights.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Implementation of a tailored Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plan.
- Close-out Meeting: A final online meeting to evaluate project outcomes, discuss challenges, and explore future opportunities.
Full name of the project: Be Seen, Be Heard – Empowering Child VOICEs in Legal Proceedings (VOICE) CERV-2024-CHILD
This project is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.