Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF)

Established in 2020, the Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF) is the Council of Europe intergovernmental body responsible for the standard-setting activities in the field of the rights of the child.

It guides the Council of Europe work in this field by advising the Committee of Ministers on appropriate action and proposals concerning the overall priorities to be taken in its field of competence, future work. Where appropriate, it undertakes actions for the development and promotion of activities and instruments (for example recommendation, declaration, policy guidelines, guide to good practices) concerning the rights of the child for consideration and adoption by the Committee of Ministers.

The CDENF also oversees the implementation of the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2021), ensures that the rights of the child are mainstreamed into all relevant Council of Europe committees and bodies and supports member States in mainstreaming children’s rights. Furthermore, the CDENF follow-up on the work completed by the Ad hoc Committee for the Rights of the Child (CAHENF).

Its Terms of Reference, which are valid from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2021, set out in detail its tasks and responsibilities for the current biennium. During this period, the CDENF, together with the European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ) also oversee a subordinate body, the Committee of Experts on rights and the best interest of the child in parental separation and in care proceedings (CJ/ENF-ISE).

Ad hoc Committee for the Rights of the Child (CAHENF)

The Ad hoc Committee for the Rights of the Child (CAHENF) guided the intergovernmental work in the area of the rights of the child between 2016 and 2019.

 Terms of Reference of the CAHENF (2016-2017)

 Terms of Reference of the CAHENF (2018-2019)

The CAHENF decided to establish working groups composed of a limited number of experts to support its mandate, namely:

• Drafting Group of Specialists on Protection of Children in the Digital Environment (CAHENF-IT) (2016-2017)
• Drafting Group of Experts on Children’s Rights and Safeguards in the context of Migration (CAHENF- Safeguards)
• Group of Experts on responses to violence against children (CAHENF-VAC)

Watch the video statements recorded by the members of the CAHENF to promote the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse