Children’s Rights Week at the OSCE Academy

Between 1 and 5 April 2025, a Children’s Rights Week was conducted at the OSCE Academy for the first time. The week-long event was organized with support from the Global Campus of Human Rights and Right Livelihood Foundation. Hosted by international and regional experts, the seminar examined legal, social, and advocacy frameworks on children’s rights.

The training commenced on the 1st of April with the theme "Foundations of Child Rights." It began with an introductory session by Ms. Barbara Strasser, the Children’s Rights Project Manager at the Global Campus of Human Rights, where participants explored the historical background of Children’s Rights. The subsequent session on “Normative Frameworks and Standards on Children’s Rights” was conducted by Dr. Elvis Fokala, Manager of the Children’s Rights Unit at the Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria. The first day concluded with a session led by Ms. Meerim Osmonalieva, Director of the “Oasis Foundation” focusing on “Child Trafficking in the Context of Migration in Central Asia.”

On the 2nd of April, the focus shifted to “Children’s Rights in Crisis Situations,” beginning with a session by Dr. Fokala on the legal framework and relevant provisions. Following this, Ms. Strasser led the session on “Children Affected by Armed Conflict” and Ms. Karlygach Nurmanbetova, Children’s Rights Officer on “Children’s Rights in the Regional Context: Implementation of CRC in Central Asia.” The day concluded with a collaborative activity on “Critical Issues in Child Protection,” both facilitated by Ms. Strasser.

On the 3rd of April, the focus changed to “Intersectionality & Vulnerability in Children’s Rights.” The day began with a session titled “Children’s Rights and Parental Separation,” presented by Dr. Fokala. This was followed by a session led by Ms. Strasser on “Children in Conflicts & Crises: Determining the Best Interests of the Child.” The third session, also conducted by Dr. Fokala, addressed “Children Deprived of Liberty in the Administration of Juvenile Justice.” The final activity, facilitated by Ms. Strasser, was a practical skills session, where students engaged in a case study involving children in distressing situations.

On the 4th of April, the theme "Beyond the Paper: Realizing Children’s Rights" commenced with a session on Child Rights Litigation presented by Dr. Fokala. The second session, led by Ms. Strasser, focused on “Child Rights & Advocacy.” The afternoon session was conducted by Dr. Jyldyz Tegizbekova, Professor of Law, serving as the Co-Coordinator of the Cyber Security Center and the Head of the International and Business Law School at Ala-Too International University in Kyrgyzstan. She addressed the theme “Digital Profiling of Children.” By the end of the day, four students showcased their group work on various topics related to children's rights.

The week culminated in the Children’s Rights Workshop on the 5th of April. It gathered members of the Child Lead Team. The event opened with welcoming remarks by Dr. Anja Mihr, Academic Director of the MAHRS programme; Ms. Barbara Strasser, Project Manager for Children’s Rights at the Global Campus of Human Rights; and Ms. Karlygach Nurmanbetova, Child Rights Specialist. The programme included a presentation titled “Children’s participation as a right and a fundamental principle of the Convention on the Rights of the Child” by Ms. Karlygach Nurmanbetova, followed by “Examples of children’s engagement and participation in the Global Campus network” delivered by Mr. John Paul, Project Manager for Children’s Rights, and Youth Advisory Group representative Ms. Kulsun Kulmatova. After an energizer session, participants engaged in planning the work of the Child Lead Team.

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