The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights publish the second edition of their popular Handbook on European law relating to the rights of the child.

The Handbook is a comprehensive and practical guide to European law in the area of child rights. It introduces legal practitioners, who are not specialists in child rights law, to the key issues.

The publication covers topics such as:

• equality;
• economic, social, cultural and civic rights and freedoms;
• personal identity;
• family life;
• alternative care and adoption;
• migration and asylum;
• protection against violence and exploitation;
• personal data and consumer protection;
• children’s rights within criminal justice and alternative proceedings.

The handbook will be useful for lawyers, judges, prosecutors, social workers, non-governmental organisations and other bodies confronted with legal issues in this area.

It seeks to raise awareness and improve knowledge of relevant standards set by the Council of Europe and European Union, particularly through case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the EU’s Court of Justice. Where relevant, it also refers to the European Social Charter, other Council of Europe and EU instruments and international UN treaties related to child rights.

Since the 2015 edition, there have been notable legal developments in children’s rights. Examples include procedural safeguards for children in criminal proceedings, and court rulings on the detention of migrant children and violence against children.

The handbook is available in English. Other language versions will follow this year.

FRA Director, Michael O’Flaherty, presented the handbook during a side event at a High-level Launching Conference for the new Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child 2022 - 2027 in Rome (7-8 April).