EU programme for promoting children’s rights is adopted

Date: 20th November 2013
Category: General measures of implementation

A Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme has been adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, with a number of aims including to promote the rights of the child.

The programme will run for the period of 2014-2020 and is part of the European Union's new long term budget, merging several current programmes under a new framework.

The Programme will have a budget of 439,473 million Euros aimed at financing actions to promote the rights of European citizens, the rights of the child, the principles of non-discrimination and equality between women and men, the right to protection of personal data and consumers' rights. It will include, among the Programme's objectives, the prevention and fight against racism, xenophobia and homophobia, the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as the protection of victims of violence.

Eurochild is a network of organisations and individuals working in and across Europe to improve the quality of life of children and young people and has been following the development of the negotiations on this programme. Along with Eurochild, Together is pleased with the achievement of a strong wording to promote and protect the rights of the child as an objective of this programme, in addition to the objective to prevent and combat all forms of violence against children, young people and women, as well as violence against other groups at risk.

The text adopted includes: "Children are vulnerable, in particular in situations of poverty, social exclusion or disability or in other specific situations exposing them to risk, such as neglect, abduction and disappearance. Action should be taken to promote the rights of the child and to contribute to the protection of children from harm and violence, which pose a danger to their physical or mental health and constitute a breach of their rights to development, protection and dignity".

Among others, civil society organisations will also be able to access funding from the programme, which will finance actions with European added value, including national and small-scale projects. The allocation of funds will be organised by the European Commission.

For more information you can contact Reka Tunyogi at reka.tunyogi@eurochild.org