Professionals and representatives of civil society organizations from the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, and Bulgaria are taking part, on April 28–29, in Chișinău, in a regional training dedicated to promoting child-friendly justice. The training sessions are facilitated by international and national experts, who will train participants and address topics related to developing a shared understanding of child-friendly justice and alternatives to detention, as well as familiarizing them with European models and international standards.
The event provides participants with the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge and exchange experiences regarding work with children in conflict with the law or at risk of delinquency, with a focus on prevention, rehabilitation, alternatives to detention, and the practical application of these approaches. At the end, participants will develop a joint position paper that will include recommendations for improving policies aimed at expanding prevention services and alternatives to detention.
“The topic of child-friendly justice is particularly important and necessary in the current context, and coordinated interventions at both local and regional levels are essential to ensure respect for the rights of every child. Joint efforts are needed to develop prevention, rehabilitation services so that every child can benefit from support and real opportunities for reintegration into society,” stated Daniela Mămăligă, Chair of the Coordination Council of the Alliance of NGOs active in the field of Child and Family Protection (APSCF).
This training is organized within the regional project “Bridging the Gaps: Promoting Child-Friendly Justice in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Countries,” implemented with the support of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and the European Union. The project aims to strengthen regional cooperation and the exchange of experience among civil society organizations working in the field of child protection and juvenile justice. It focuses on promoting child-friendly justice systems, with an emphasis on prevention, rehabilitation, and community-level interventions for children in conflict with the law or at risk of delinquency, avoiding punitive approaches and deprivation of liberty.
The project is coordinated by the Alliance of NGOs active in the field of Child and Family Protection (APSCF) from the Republic of Moldova, in partnership with Partnership for Every Child (Ukraine), the Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Centre NGO and the Journalists’ Club “Asparez” NGO (Armenia), as well as the Center for the Study of Democracy (Bulgaria). The consortium brings together organizations with expertise in child protection, juvenile justice, research, policy analysis, and advocacy, aiming to strengthen regional cooperation and promote more child-friendly justice systems.