Every child deserves their rights to be recognised, protected, and realised.
DCI’s approach to justice for children covers criminal, civil, and administrative justice systems and their adaptation to the needs of children. When we speak about justice, we follow a broad definition, encompassing economic, climate, social and cultural justice, and access to remedies for all violations. From developing child protection systems to preventative rehabilitation and empowerment projects for child victims of violence, witnesses of crimes, suspects or prosecuted, as well as fighting against gender discrimination, empowering, and supporting children as actors and advocates for their rights, DCI adopts a holistic approach to justice for children.
Justice for children is an overarching priority for DCI. The overall, long-term objective is to:
- Promote justice in all its forms (criminal, civil, and administrative as well as economic, environmental, social, and cultural justice) that respects children’s rights and meets their needs.
- Defend children’s access to justice and to justice systems that respect and guarantee their rights, empower and support children to claim all their rights, and are adapted to the needs of children.
Our Work
Our Role
DCI works to
- Defend children’s rights in justice systems
- Advocate for and contribute to child-friendly justice systems establishment and/or continuous improvement in line with international standards and child safeguarding guideline
- Empower and support children and child- and youth-led movements in their actions for justice and advocacy for change
- Ensure that children and justice features as a priority item on international, regional and national agendas, involving children and actively prioritising their space in these debates
- Contribute to the monitoring of the implementation of children’s access to justice at the local, national, regional and global levels
- Foster implementation of the child’s right to be heard at all stages of the justice system, including in the implementation of judicial decisions
- Defend children by advocating for, and when necessary, providing individual socio-legal support according to the DCI socio-legal defence methodology, and use strategic litigation where appropriate
- Continue to strengthen the effectiveness of existing Socio-Legal Defence Centres (SLDCs) and disseminate this DCI model
- Raise awareness and implement capacity building programmes on child-friendly justice for children and professionals working with children, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, child protection and social workers, and other stakeholders
International Level
Through advocacy, DCI works to ensure that children can access justice, participate meaningfully in legal processes, and obtain effective remedies when their rights are violated.
DCI is an active founding member of the Child Justice Advocacy Group (CJAG). The group unites key international nongovernmental organisations working in the field of justice for children, including Terre des Hommes International Federation, Penal Reform International, Child Rights Information Network, Child Rights International Network (CRIN), World Organisation Against Torture, Justice Studio, International Association of Youth, and Family Judges and Magistrates. CJAG’s position paper Bringing Children Home emphasises the rights of children set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and asserts that children must never be criminalised purely for their association with or membership in a terrorist group.
DCI forms part of the Justice for Children, Justice for All Initiative (SDG16+), in collaboration with Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies’ Task Force on Justice, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, UNICEF, and other partners. It is an interagency initiative that aims to leave no child behind within the context of achieving the SDGs. A global Call to Action was launched at the heart of the Justice for Children, Justice for All: The Challenge to Achieve SDG16+. The Call to Action highlights the top ten critical impediments to justice for children and emphasises the need for sustained political commitment. Find the Press Release here.
DCI co-coordinates the NGO panel for the UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty (GSCDL). The NGO Panel contributes to the development and implementation of the Roadmap for Action 2025–2030, which aims to accelerate concrete action to reduce the number of children deprived of liberty and improve the protection of children’s rights in all contexts of detention and confinement. Members of the NGO Panel play a key role in advancing the implementation of the Study’s recommendations at the national level through advocacy initiatives, legal and policy reform, awareness-raising, research, and project implementation.
DCI contributed to the drafting of CRC General Comment No. 27 on children’s right to access to justice and to an effective remedy, bringing children’s voices, as well as national and international perspectives, to the process. Along with other civil society partners and independent experts, DCI contributed to a joint submission to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child’s General Comment 24 (also known as the revision of General Comment 10 on children’s rights in juvenile justice systems). The submission highlighted the importance, among other priorities, of the ratification of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and its Optional Protocol, as well as the establishment of National Preventative Mechanisms.
National Level
Through advocacy, legal reform, and child participation initiatives, DCI works to ensure that children can access justice, participate meaningfully in legal processes, and obtain effective remedies when their rights are violated.
DCI’s National Sections provide direct socio-legal support to children through our Socio-Legal Defence Centres (SLDCs). Children who come into contact with justice systems are often denied or unable to properly enjoy their rights. At the same time, children whose rights are violated often face difficulties in accessing justice or remedies. In response to this, DCI created an innovative model that incorporates international children’s rights standards and child-friendly principles and is adaptable to address the most pressing issue affecting our national sections. DCI’s socio-legal defence centres actively protect and promote children’s rights by serving as a referral pathway and conducting daily monitoring of the implementation of children’s rights. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, the SLDCs provide training, technical assistance, and capacity building in addition to legal aid.
