Did you know that there is an EU Commissioner for Fisheries but no Commissioner for Children?
European leaders are about to decide on top jobs for the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union. Over the next five years, these European Commissioners are responsible for proposing laws and setting EU spending priorities.
While children’s rights are guaranteed by law, a lot still remains to be done.
1 in 4 children are at risk of poverty in the European Union (EU); social protection systems are too weak to support families and children in need; strucutural inequalities have locked children and families into a cycle of disadvantage. In December 2009, the EU recognised children's rights to protection and care. 10 years later, there is no single authority in the EU with the responsibility of child-proofing EU policies to enforce this!
With the opportunity of a new European Commission, Eurochild has launched a petition to gather signatures supporting a new role at the European Commission – A Commissioner for Children in the next mandate of the European Commission 2019-2024. With a political leader, the EU would prioritise fighting the many challenges faced by children.
The petition letter to Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, states that the role of a “European Commissioner for Children would be to champion the rights of children within the EU, accession countries and in its external action. The Commissioner would ensure all policies and EU funds have a positive impact on children’s lives.”
Young respondents to the year-long Europe Kids Want survey think that the EU makes their life better and that it can do more. The Bucharest EU Children’s Declaration which was developed with children at the first ever EU Children’s Summit under the Romanian EU Presidency in May this year, also points to children seeking greater participation in public decision-making. Eurochild envisions this role to respond to the demands of children, civil society and other actors seeking greater political attention to children’s rights.
Sign the petition to join the call for a European Commissioner for Children. There is limited time to make our voices heard!
Learn more on www.commissionerforchildren
Read the job description as we imagine it, and sign the petition here!
You might like..
0
3
In the last two weeks, the Members of the European Parliament had the occasion to grill the new team of Commissioners-designate in a series of hearings aimed at evaluating whether they are fit for the job. Albeit the confusing and sometimes…
0
5
Did you know that there is an EU Commissioner for Fisheries, but no Commissioner for Children? Or that the EU lacks a single authority responsible for ensuring that EU policies recognize and enforce children’s rights? While children’s rights…
0
15
A coordinated European strategy has been found to be the best one to fight child sexual abuse, Catherine De Bolle from Europol explains.
Cybercrime is among the most dangerous parts of the online community which has been rising since the pandemic…
0
7
Immigration detention of children, both of children who are alone or with their families, is a widespread practice in EU member states. Although numbers of children in detention are not adequately collected and published on…
yes
0
4
Refugee Camps Have Reached Breaking Point
(Athens, March 4, 2020) – European Union (EU) Member States should urgently relocate unaccompanied children from the Greek islands to safety in their territory, while ensuring that the children’s best…
0
19
The European Commission aims to research and analyse how member states recognize gender, a move that may result in recommendations for member states. As part of the EU Commission`s efforts to advance LGBTI rights, it will discuss the…
0
93
According to Eurostat, children are exposed to the highest risk of poverty and social exclusion. In Slovenia and the Czech Republic, the rates were 13.1% and 13.2%, while in Romania and Bulgaria it was 38.1% and 33.7%. In 2018, in the EU, the rate…
0
2
Following the success of the Eurochild Members’ Day attended by Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit, the meeting of the EU Alliance for Investing in Children was an important opportunity to discuss directly with officials working…
0
3
On 6th of September, the European Commission published the 2019 annual report on the implementation of national Roma integration strategies, summarizing action taken in education, health, housing and discrimination.
Unfortunately, there are no…
0
82
A European Expert Group (EEG) conference on the transition from institutional to community-based care was held in Brussels on 16 January 2020, to evaluate the progress made in the deinstitutionalisation process in a…
0
2
Under the authority of the Ministry of Labour and Social Justice, the National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption plans to organise a ‘Children’s Summit’ on 6–7 May, days prior to the Sibiu Summit on the Future of Europe…
0
7
The Europeans who joined ISIS just a few years ago would now like to return to their home countries with their children.
Based on estimates, 8,000 children are stuck in camps in north-eastern Syria. They are at risk of abuse, harassment,…
0
4
A study, which investigates the feasibility of a Child Guarantee for children at risk of poverty, was discussed at a conference by the EU Commission on 17 February. The idea of a Child Guarantee comes from a previous proposal by the…
0
2
19 April 2019 marks the end of the term for the European Parliament. In just over a month, in a direct vote on 23-26 May, EU citizens will elect the new House. It will be the task of the future European Parliamentarians to finish negotiations on the…
0
8
Ten EU countries have volunteered to host migrant children from Greek refugee camps: Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Luxembourg and Lithuania.
So far, only 12 children have been taken to Luxembourg…
