News

The 13th ª Plenary Meeting of the Steering Committee on the Rights of the Child (CDENF) of the Council of Europe took place in Strasbourg on 2 and 3 June. Portugal is represented through the National Commission for the Rights of Children and Youth (CNDCJ).

In addition to the election of Ms Célia Chamiça (CNDCJ) as Vice-President of the Committee, the following items are on the agenda:

• The start of work on the new Council of Europe Strategy on the Rights of the Child 2028-2033, with a preliminary discussion around possible strategic axes. The document should be ready for approval in 2027 and should include input from children and a variety of other actors.
• The presentation of the report on the guidelines adopted in 2010 by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Child-Friendly Justice, with a view to reviewing them at a later stage in the light of new realities and challenges.
• Presentation of the development of the work on the revision of the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the “participation of children under the age of eighteen”, in particular the consultations with children on this matter, including in Portugal, in this case under the coordination of the CNDCJ.
• The final discussion and adoption of a proposal for a Recommendation and its explanatory memorandum on protecting children from violence through comprehensive age-appropriate sexuality education.

Tomorrow there will be a Thematic Dialogue on Social Networks and Children's Mental Health, an event organised by CDENF and the Steering Committee on Human Rights in Biomedicine and Health (CDBIO) under the Monaco Presidency of the Council of Europe, which will bring together members of the two Committees and experts on the subject.