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Annual Report 2016-2018: Promoting Children's Rights and Advocacy

This annual report highlights the activities and achievements of the Commissioner for Children and her staff in promoting children's rights, conducting research and training, raising awareness, monitoring services, and advocating for policy changes.

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Annual Report 2016-2018: Promoting Children's Rights and Advocacy

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  1. Annual Reports 2016 - 2018 17th April 2019 www.tfal.org.mt

  2. Members of Staff • Commissioner for Children • Head of Office • Task Manager • Project Officer • Policy Officer • Principal • Support Officer • Driver

  3. Budget • 2016 – €180,000 • 2017 – €180,000 • 2018 – €180,000 (+45,487 top-up for awareness raising initiatives)

  4. Types of Activity • Research and Training • Awareness Raising • Monitoring • Child and Youth Participation • Advocacy and Recommendations

  5. Research and Training • Let Me Thrive: A Research study on Foster Care – launched 2016. • Research study on the Health and Wellbeing of Foreign Children living in Malta: commenced in 2016, 2017 preparatory work, 2018 fieldwork for the study reached an advanced stage. The study was launched in 2019.

  6. Research and Training • Training: Commissioner for Children and Office staff attend various conferences and meetings both locally and abroad in order to receive as well as deliver training. • Training Seminar for Judiciary: on appropriate child interviewing techniques (2018). Office is currently supporting the Judiciary in the development of guidelines ensuring effective child participation in the Maltese Justice System.

  7. Awareness Raising • World Children’s Day 20th November: - 2016 - 50+ schools and entities - 2017 – 60+ schools and entities - 2018 – 70+ schools and entities A number of resources were distributed in all schools amongst children of different ages to promote children’s rights and literacy.

  8. Awareness Raising • BeSmartOnline: • Partner since 2010 • Awareness raising on the safe use of the internet through sessions with children, parents, educators and other stakeholders. • Youth Participation • Development and dissemination of resources such as a Digital Rights Poster, a big book for young children and tip sheets regarding social media platforms.

  9. Awareness Raising • Media Campaigns: • Think before you click. in collaboration with Magic Malta and BeSmartOnline! (2017) • Better Parenting – Better Childhood (2018) • 4 Local Radio Stations • Social Media • Local TV stations

  10. Awareness Raising • Press Statements: the Office issues various press statements in order to create awareness and advocate for children’s rights. These include children being denied safe disembarkation (2018), Good Quality Childcare Centres (2017) and Vote 16 (2016). • Media Presence: The Commissioner and her staff are present on various local TV programmes in order to create awareness about various issues relating to children’s rights.

  11. Monitoring • The Office is responsible for the monitoring of services available to children. This is done mainly through receiving complaints from the general public and visiting children in various settings such as Young Offenders Unit and various residential homes. • In 2017, the first National Children’s Policy was launched and the Office was tasked with monitoring its implementation.

  12. Monitoring • In 2018, the Office set up a monitoring board made up of representatives from the different Ministries. • The Office produced a child-friendly version of the Policy (2018). • A number of workshops were held in various State, Church and Independent Schools in order to involve children and young people in the monitoring of the Policy (2018 – 2019)

  13. Child and Youth Participation • Rights 4U: A live-in carried out each year and consists of an interactive programme in which youth between the ages of 13 and 15 engage in discussions about their rights. • ENYA(European Network of Young Advisors): A Youth participation initiative organised as part of the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children. The Office participates every year and has dealt with issues such as Equality in Education (2016), Identity Rights (2017), Mental Health (2018).

  14. Child and Youth Participation • Focus Groups: sessions held with different groups of children and young people regarding different issues such as Domestic Violence (2017), Eurochild Strategy (2018). • Commissioner’s Prize: given to children and young people for advocating for the rights of others (2016, 2017, 2018).

  15. Child and Youth Participation • Council for Children: consultative body set up by the Commissioner for Children Act which includes the Chairperson of the Social Affairs Committee, representatives from various Ministries and 5 young people (appointed every year). • Children’s Local Councils: in 2018 the Office supported 3 Local Councils in the setting up of children’s councils.

  16. Advocacy • Putting Children at the heart of Urban Planning (2016). • Manifesto for Children (2017). • Standards for the Participation of Children in Political Communication (2017). • Safety Management Systems – Requirements for Combat Sports Practiced by Minors in a Ring (2017). • Rights of Children on the Move. (2018) • Heavy School Bags Policy (2018).

  17. Recommendations – National Level • Incorporation of UNCRC into Maltese Law and Ratification of the 3rd Optional Protocol – Complaints Mechanism. • Amending of the Commissioner for Children Act to endow the Office with more powers and autonomy. • Minor Protection (Alternative Care) Act to come into force as soon as possible.

  18. Recommendations – National Level • Adoption of a policy whereby all minors on the move, including their families, are ensured safe disembarkation when Malta is the closest safe port. • More focus on child migrants and implementation of the Migrant Integration Strategy and Action Plan. • Updating of the National Drugs Policy and the need for Rehabilitation services specifically for minors.

  19. Recommendations – National Level • Development of guidelines on the protection of children in sports. • Making child participation mandatory by law for children to be involved in all decisions that affect them. • Removal of the concept of ‘reasonable chastisement’ from the civil code so as to completely prohibit corporal punishment.

  20. Recommendations – European Level • European Network of Ombudspersons for Children’s (ENOC) Statements: • - Equal Opportunities in Education for all Children • (2016). • - Comprehensive Relationship and Sexuality • Education (2017) • - Child Mental Health; Inter-country Adoption; • Children on the Move (2018). • Lanzarote Committee (Council of Europe).

  21. Thank You Email: pauline.miceli@gov.mt Website: www.tfal.org.mt Tel: 21485180

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