Today in the framework of the European Commission’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (REC), the Children’s Rights Division of the Council of Europe and its Partners from the Czech Republic, Finland, Iceland, Portugal and Slovenia, have launched the new EU-CoE joint Project “CP4EUROPE - Strengthening National Child Participation Frameworks and Action in Europe” which they will implement at European and national levels until 31 March 2023.

The main objective of CP4EUROPE is to increase the means, the spaces and the opportunities for child participation in EU and Council of Europe member states, and to support national activities through pan-European action and visibility. The project will promote, in particular, the use of the Council of Europe Child Participation Tool (CPAT) and the new Handbook on Children’s Participation “Listen – Act – Change”, as specific tools in this area, and support the development of new (model) tools through national action.

Concrete and tailor-made action will be taken at national level via the Partners of the project in two Action Groups; respectively undertaking child participation assessments via the CPAT and improving national frameworks further as a follow-up to a recent assessment carried out in 2019/2020.

The key expected results of the overall project will also include the creation a “Child participation leadership network” among participating countries, and a new webpage to facilitate the sharing of resources and experiences. The Council of Europe Children’s Right Division will coordinate the project and develop European resources and activities that will benefit all partner countries, and all EU and Council of Europe member states in the long-term.

For more information, see the press release.

* This project is funded by the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020) and the Council of Europe. All project-related communication represents the views of the authors only and is their sole responsibility. The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for the use that may be made of the information conveyed.