Focus
Strategy for the Rights of the Child
The CDENF oversees the implementation of the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2021). During the biennium 2020-2021, it will regularly update the action plan and prepare a final report on its implementation. It will also contribute to the Preparation of a Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2022-2027) to be submitted to the Committee of Ministers for adoption by 31 December 2021.
Violence against children
The CDENF will promote the implementation of international and Council of Europe standards on the protection of children from violence, notably, through practical tools such as the VAC Clearinghouse and actions for the European day on the Protection of Children against Sexual exploitation and Sexual Abuse (18 November).
With the support of its Working Group on responses to violence against children (CDENF-GT-VAE), it shall develop non-binding instruments on systems for professionals to report violence against children and on measures and interventions aimed at preventing peer violence and sexual abusive behaviour by children.
Parental separation and child- care proceedings
The CDENF jointly with the CDCJ will prepare guidelines or other policy instruments or practical tools to give guidance to member States and other stakeholders on the protection of the best interests of the child in situations of parental separation as well as in domestic law proceedings to limit parental responsibilities or place a child in care proceedings.
Migration
The CDENF will act as a paneuropean platform for regular exchanges of knowledge, good practices and experiences to support the implementation of policy measures to protect unaccompanied and other children in the context of migration. Actions will include promoting good practices for the implementation of the CM/Rec(2019)11 on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration and reviewing the implementation of CM/Rec(2007)09 on life projects for unaccompanied migrant minors . The CDENF is developing soft law standards on human rights compliant age assessment procedures aimed at policy makers and professionals.
The rights of the child in the digital environment
Effective participation of children
Rights of children and children’s participation in the decision-making process in the biomedical field
Welfare and child protection challenges relating to child returnees
The CDENF will contribute to the implementation of the Council of Europe Counter-Terrorism Strategy 2018-2022 and collaborate in this dimension with the Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT) by providing support and guidance on how to addressing welfare and child protection challenges relating to child returnees.
Mainstreaming