EUROPEAN FINAL CONFERENCE

CHILDRENS RIGHTS BEHIND BARS

Human Rights of Children deprived of liberty:

Improving Monitoring Mechanisms
February 15, 2016
European Economic and Social Committee
Rue Belliard, 99. BRUSSELS
09.00h-17.30h

Inscriptions
www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu/conference
Funded by:
The Criminal Justice Programme of the European Union

Other Funders:

This project, coordinated by DCI-Belgium, is the result of collated expertise

and experience deriving from 16 European and International organisations
and 11 renowned global experts.
Information: www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu

CHILDREN'S RIGHTS BEHIND BARS

Human rights of children deprived of their liberty:
Improving monitoring mechanisms

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

In the Framework of the Criminal Justice Programme of the European Commission (EC), Defence for
Children (DCI)-Belgium, is coordinating a Project, in collaboration with 14 European partners and 11
international experts, aiming at improving the conditions of the deprivation of liberty of children in
Europe. This project is essentially funded by the EC and benefits from the financial and technical
support of the Council of Europe (CoE) and of the Fonds Houtman.
The purpose of the Childrens Rights Behind Bars (CRBB) project is reinforcing the capacities of the
monitoring mechanisms of places of deprivation of liberty for children in order to prevent adequately
and efficiently any risk or form of abuse or violation of the rights of children deprived of their liberty.
The Project also aims at strengthening childrens dignity and the respect of their fundamental rights.
The principal outcome of this Projects consists of the release of a Practical Guide for monitoring places
of deprivation of liberty for children which is meant to be used as a reference by all professionals
performing the monitoring of those places in the preparation, implementation and follow-up of their
monitoring visits.
This Practical Guide is based on:
National researches conducted in each of the 14 European countries participating to the project
on the existence, the functioning and the efficiency of monitoring and complaint mechanisms
relating to places of deprivation of liberty for children
14 national reports setting forth the results of the above-mentioned researches and a report
containing an overview of practices at the European level
The expertise of 11 international experts, partners and associated partners involved in the
project
The European and international standards applicable to this matter
The works carried out in the course of 3 international seminars which gathered all experts and
partners of the Project in 2014 and 2015
A final European conference will close the Project in January 2016, in Brussels (Belgium). Participants
to this conference shall include all stakeholders of the Project, representatives of all EU Member
States, of the countries of the CoE as well as key international actors amongst which: members of
national prevention mechanisms under the OPCAT (NPMs), ombudspersons for children, members of
national Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), representatives of regional and international monitoring
mechanisms (CPT, HR Commissioner of the CoE and SPT), members of UN bodies and agencies CRC,
CAT, UNODC, UNICEF, )as well as of INGOs in relation with the relevant matters, officials and MEPs.
The website www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu includes all information relating to the CRBBs Project
as well as documentation produced in the course of the Project. It also contains numbers of relevant
references and articles.
For more information, please contact Sarah Grandfils (sarah.grandfils@defensedesenfants.be / +32 2
203 79 08) coordinator of the Project for DCI-Belgium.

www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu

Project funded by the Criminal Justice

Programme of the European Commission

CHILDRENS RIGHTS BEHIND BARS

Human Rights of Children deprived of liberty:
Improving Monitoring Mechanisms

PARTNERS EXPERTS FUNDERS

PARTNERS
COORDINATOR:
BELGIUM

Defence for Children International (DCI)

COLLABORATORS:
AUSTRIA

Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (BIM)

ESTONIA

Institute of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Tartu

FRANCE

Defence for Children International (DCI)

IRELAND

Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT)

ITALY

Defence for Children International (DCI)

LATVIA

Ombudsman's Office of the Republic of Latvia

LUXEMBOURG

Association nationale des communauts ducatives et sociales (ANCES)

NETHERLANDS

Defence for Children International (DCI)

POLAND

Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR)

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Child Rights Centre Associated partner

ROMANIA

Research Centre CICOP. West University in Timisoara (WUT)

SPAIN

Proyecto Solidario

UNITED KINGDOM

The Howard League for Penal Reform Associated partner

Organisation Mondiale contre la Torture (OMCT) Associated partner

Council of Europe (CoE) Associated partner

EXPERTS
Mrs Ileana BELLO

Executive Director at DCl's International Secretariat

Mrs. Anne-Sophie
BONNET

Controller of the Contrle Gnral des lieux de privation de libert (France)

Expert from the French national prevention mechanism (NPM)

M. Bernard DE VOS

General Delegate of the French Community for the Rights of the Child,
Belgium; ENOC Chair (2013-2014)

M. Malcolm EVANS

Chair of the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT), Professor

of Public International Law at the University of Bristol (UK)

www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu

Project funded by the Criminal Justice

Programme of the European Commission

Mrs Paula JACK

Expert in youth justice systems, former Chief Executive of the Youth Justice
Agency of Northern Ireland and senior prosecutor in England and Northern
Ireland

M. Philip D.JAFF

Psychologist, expert in child development issues and child interviews in the

context of deprivation of liberty, Director of the Institut universitaire Kurt
Bsch (Switzerland)

Prof. Ursula KILKELLY Professor of Law, University College Cork, Head/Dean of the Faculty of Law
(Ireland)
Prof. Ton LIEFAARD

Professor of Children's Rights holding the UNICEF Chair, Leiden University, Law
School (Netherlands)

Prof. Sonja SNACKEN Professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), Former expert from the
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT)
M. Nikhil ROY

Programme Development Director at Penal Reform International (PRI)

Mrs Nevena
VUCKOVIC

Former member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN)

Founding member of the Child Rights Centre Belgrade (Serbia)

COORDINATION TEAM (DCI-BELGIUM)

M. Benot
VAN KEIRSBILCK

Director of DCI-Belgium and president of the international movement,

Supervisor of the CRBB project, expert in Child Rights

Mrs. Sarah
GRANDFILS

Coordinator of the CRBB project, lawyer, expert in juvenile justice and Child
Rights

Mrs. Andrea SALCEDO Responsible of the financial and administrative management of the CRBB
Project, Project Officer on Child Rights Issues
M. Pierre-Yves
ROSSET

Juvenile justice officer of the CRBB project, expert in international law and
Human Rights

FUNDERS
European Commission, Criminal Justice Program
CO-FUNDERS:

(JUST/2013/JPEN/AG/4581)

Council of Europe
Fonds Houtman (BE)
Wallonie Bruxelles-International (BE)
Loterie Nationale (BE)

www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu

Project funded by the Criminal Justice

Programme of the European Commission

CHILDRENS RIGHTS BEHIND BARS

Human Rights of Children deprived of liberty:
Improving Monitoring Mechanisms

PRACTICAL GUIDE:
MONITORING PLACES OF DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY FOR CHILDREN
RATIONALE
It is well known that regular, external and independent monitoring visits to places of deprivation of
liberty are a key instrument to preventing torture and other human rights violations and to protect
fundamental rights. Experience shows, however, that even though a number of national and/or
international mechanisms conduct monitoring visits to such places, the research conducted in the
framework of the Childrens Rights Behind Bars project demonstrates that it is rare for them to focus
only on children facilities and/or to have a child-rights approach integrated in their monitoring policy
and methodology when visiting childrens facilities. In addition, the monitoring bodies that conduct
visits to adult detention facilities are frequently the same ones conducting visits to childrens closed
institutions. They often lack specific knowledge, competence and training on child issues, on the
specific rules, standards and indicators that apply to the deprivation of liberty of children, and on
specific principles and (communication) methods to be used when interviewing children. Child-specific
and practical tools to the monitoring of such places are also often not available.
This Practical Guide has therefore been designed to address all these concerns by providing a practical
tool with a child sensitive and preventive perspective, taking into account all the particular needs
and aspects that make the children even more vulnerable to any violations of their rights when they
are deprived of their liberty.
OBJECTIVES
The specific objectives of the Practical Guide are
To emphasise the relevant international and regional standards that relate to the rights of children
deprived of their liberty and to independent monitoring of places where they are held for any kind
of reasons;
To raise awareness of the different mechanisms regarding the important preventive and
protective / investigative role they can play in monitoring places of deprivation of liberty for
children;
To identify the basic principles of monitoring and the practical aspects of deprivation of liberty of
children to focus on when performing the visits;
To provide practical and methodological guidance to effectively prepare, conduct and follow up
the monitoring visits of places where children can be deprived of their liberty;
To highlight how monitoring reports and effective recommendations can prevent any form of
abuse of childrens rights and initiate changes within institutions through a process of constructive
dialogue;
To promote effective communication and cooperation between national, regional and
international monitoring bodies regarding the monitoring of places of deprivation of liberty of
children;

www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu

Project funded by the Criminal Justice

Programme of the European Commission

TARGETED PUBLIC
This practical guide is designed to be used by a broad range of professionals, who are entitled - by
mandate, by law or upon a specific agreement - to monitor or visit places where children can be
deprived of their liberty. This includes, but is not limited to:
Experts and Members of International and Regional monitoring bodies such as the SPT, the
CPT and the Council of Europes Commissioner for Human Rights as well as agencies such as
UNICEF, UNHCR or ICRC (for the specific cases of conflict areas)
Members of National Preventive Mechanisms (NPM) created or designated as such under the
OPCAT
Other statutory monitoring bodies such as National Human Rights Institutions, Childrens
Commissioners, Ombudspersons for Children, etc.
Special monitoring bodies such as prison monitoring committee, police inspection commission,
mental health institutions inspection, etc.
Juvenile judges
Civil society monitors and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
National and EU parliamentarians
Multi-agency monitoring bodies
Lawyers
The information gathered in this guide will also be useful for authorities, administrations and staff
members of places where children can be deprived of their liberty while implementing their day-today tasks, when performing internal inspections and when receiving the visit of a monitoring body.
As the result of an EU project, this Guide has a European scope. However, with some adaptations in
order to respond to different contexts or national specificities, the methodology and content may well
be adapted and replicated to be used when visiting structures depriving children of their liberty in
many countries throughout the world.

FORMAT
User-friendly format: A5, wire-O binding, small amount of pages (150), recycle paper.
Hard and soft versions.
Available in English & in French.
To be published in January 2016.

www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu

Project funded by the Criminal Justice

Programme of the European Commission

EUROPEAN FINAL CONFERENCE

CHILDRENS RIGHTS BEHIND BARS
Human Rights of Children deprived of liberty:
Improving Monitoring Mechanisms

15 February, 2016
Brussels (Belgium)

CONFERENCE FORMAT
One day plenary session including time for questions/comments and sharing of experience.

OBJECTIVES
1. Presentation, promotion and dissemination of the PRACTICAL GUIDE : MONITORING PLACES OF
DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY FOR CHILDREN
2. Awareness raising on the importance of:
a. The monitoring of all places where children are deprived of their liberty
b. The child specific aspects of the monitoring of places of deprivation of liberty for
children and the necessity to adopt a child rights based approach
c. A clear monitoring strategy including a monitoring methodology that ensure efficient
preparation, implementation and follow up of visits;
d. The communication and the cooperation between monitoring bodies of places of
deprivation of liberty for children, at international, regional and national levels
3. Remind the EU & international standards on the protection of children deprived of their liberty
4. Information on the Global Study on Children Deprived of liberty

SPEAKERS
Chair of the Conference: M. Mykola GNATOVSKYY, president of the CPT (to be confirmed)
Experts in: monitoring, deprivation of liberty of children, childrens rights, juvenile justice systems,
psychology and child development issues, communication with children, etc.

www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu

Project funded by the Criminal Justice

Programme of the European Commission

PARTICIPANTS / INVITEES
A least, two representatives of all European Union countries; representatives of countries member
of the Council of Europe ; other key international representatives among which: representatives of
Childrens Ombudpersons & Mediators; representatives of National Prevention Mechanisms (NPMs
under the OPCAT); representatives of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs); Members of
regional monitoring bodies (the CPT, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the CoE); members of
international monitoring bodies (the SPT); representatives of UN bodies or agencies (CRC, Special
Rapporteur on torture, Special Representative of the SG on Violence against Children, UNODC,
UNICEF, OHCHR, UNHCR,); NGOs working in the field of childrens rights, deprivation of liberty,
juvenile justice; other regional monitoring bodies (Africa, Latin America, MENA, Asia,); other
regional institutions (OIF, Inter-American Court on HR, ACECR,); European Union officials;
Members of EU Parliament (MEPs); UN officials; Members of DCI sections and everyone
demonstrating an interest to the topics.

PHOTO EXHIBITION
A photo exhibition will gather pictures taken in the framework of a participatory workshop with
young people deprived of their liberty in the closed centre of Saint Hubert, Belgium, in August 2015.
Workshop organised by DCI-Belgium with Thomas Freteur, photographer, and with the collaboration
of Jeunesse & Droit. Activity and exhibition funded by the Fonds Houtman.

Free participation to the European Final Conference.

A copy of the Guide and of its explanatory brochure will be distributed to every participant.

www.childrensrightsbehindbars.eu

Project funded by the Criminal Justice

Programme of the European Commission