The 13th meeting of the Council of Europe Dialogue with Roma and Traveller civil society took stock of the current state of the Roma and Traveller children’s rights protection in Council of Europe member states and Roma and Traveller communities. Participants have discussed the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in this context and have presented examples of good practice developed by member states and civil society organisations. The meeting also discussed the new Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2022-2027), its future implementation, as well as the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights which Roma and Traveller children everywhere are entitled to benefit from.

The meeting:

• brought together representatives of different Roma and Traveller civil society organisations and different services of the Council of Europe Secretariat and member State authorities currently working for the protection and promotion of the rights of Roma and Traveller children;
• took stock of current violations of the rights of Roma and Traveller children in member States and of States’ responses to these infringements;
• provided an overview of the new Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2022-2027) and relevant legal instruments, policies and practices to support the full realisation of the rights of Roma and Traveller children at European and national level;
• identified different authorities that have specific roles and responsibilities concerning the protection of the rights of Roma and Traveller children and discussed concerns and possible gaps in national legislation, policy and practice in relation to children’s rights; and
• shared examples of good practice and children’s rights initiatives implemented by member states’ governments, municipalities and civil society organisations.