Estonian Presidency 2024-2025 focuses on child participation

From 1 July 2024 Estonia assumes the presidency of the Expert Group on Children at Risk.

With a particular focus on child participation, the Estonian presidency aims to develop guidelines on child participation for child protection officials and people who work with children. This work will draw on the CBSS mapping of child protection systems in the Baltic Sea Region presented during the Norwegian presidency, and the CBSS and Eurochild guidance on setting up child advisory boards. The guidelines will be presented in a Presidency conference in May 2025.

In addition to child participation, the Estonian presidency will continue the Finnish presidency’s focus on combatting trafficking of children and continue the cooperation with the CBSS Task Force Against Trafficking in Human Beings. A joint workshop will be organised in Tallinn on the 28th of November. Read more about the Finnish Presidency here.

The Estonian Presidency will also support the Expert Group on Children at Risk’s priority to ensure justice, protection and healing for child victims of violence (Barnahus) and will host a combined conference and Barnahus Forum in June 2025.

A key priority for the Estonian Presidency will be to facilitate the development of a new strategy and mandate for the Expert Group on Children at Risk, which is due for adoption in May 2025.

Read more about the Estonian Presidency of the CBSS.