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"I wish I really could be home…"

Supported by the Government of Netherlands and Romania in a youth court setting the issues of children in residential care and juvenile justice/children deprived of their liberty were raised and experience on best practices exchanged to further the rights of children.

Moderator:
Professor Jaap Doek, Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child

Opening Statement:
His Excellency Mr. Ion Iliescu, President of Romania

Panellists:
Mrs. L. Whitman, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, Children's Rights Programme: The problem of residential care and deprivation of liberty for children

Her Excellency Mrs. E. Herfkens, Minister for Development Co-operation - The Netherlands: Children deprived of their liberty within the context of juvenile justice: a role for the donor community?

His Excellency Mr. H. B. Perez, State Secretary of Justice - The Philippines: Juvenile Justice reforms and the reduction of deprivation of liberty in The Philippines

Her Excellency Mrs. G. Coman, State Secretary for Child Protection - Romania: Child protection reforms and the reduction of children in residential care in Romania

Mr. E. J. Judd, UNICEF Representative in China: Which role is or can be played by the international community? The example of UNICEF

Robyn Gausmann-Burnett and Brian Selchick, representatives of the Youth Court - USA

The President of Romania opened the event.

Human Rights Watch raised the issues of death penalty, torture during interrogation, abuse in juvenile facilities, illegal and arbitrary proceedings, the incarceration with adults, and the dreadful situation of detention centres, often leading to abuse.

Two children from Afghan orphanages called on the International Community for support on behalf of Afghan children.
The Netherlands is lobbying against the death penalty for children under 18 and highlighted the important role of the donor community in providing assistance for human rights based juvenile justice.

Philippines introduced their juvenile justice reform in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international standards.

Romania highlighted the reform of their child protection system, reducing considerably the number of institutionalised children.

UNICEF emphasised that in a "World fit for children" children should be able to realise their rights to grow up in caring and protecting families or family-like environment. The children's interests and rights should be a key reference also when dealing with those who are in conflict with the law.

The "Youth Court" approach was presented by two young members, as an innovative example, giving young people an arena to take on increased responsibility in the community and promoting their active participation in juvenile justice proceedings.

All speakers recognised that too many children world-wide live in residential care or are deprived of liberty. They agreed on the need for better guaranteeing that children can, as much as possible, grow up in a family environment and that the use of deprivation of liberty is a measure of last resort and for the shortest time possible.

The Chair of the UN Children's Rights Committee proposed to set a target for reduction by 50 per cent of children in institutional care and in detention by 2010.