10 years of OPIC - Pathways of Access to Justice for Children

Start date:
10 April 2024

Duration:
3 days

Legal area:
Internationaal Privaatrecht, Jeugdrecht

Course:
Conference

About
Program
Speakers
Location
Price

About the conference
10th Anniversary Symposium on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure

The Leiden Children’s Rights Observatory, together with the Leiden Law Academy in partnership with the Petitions Section of the Office for the High Commissioner for the Human Rights and UNICEF, will host the symposium to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure (OPIC).

As we commemorate a decade of the OPIC, this symposium provides a unique opportunity for academics, professionals, government officials, and non-governmental stakeholders and young people to come together, share their knowledge and experiences, and chart a path forward toward the improved access to justice for children through the OPIC, and more states ratifying OPIC. Engaging in critical discourse and collaborative efforts can further advance the protection and promotion of children’s rights worldwide.

Conference speakers

Professor Dr. Ton Liefaard, Leiden University
Professor Dr. Ann Skelton, Leiden University and Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Professor Bruce Adamson, University of Glasgow
Professor Helen Duffy, Leiden University
Professor Jasper Krommendijk , Raboud University
Professor Julia Sloth-Nielsen, University of Huddersfield
Ms Karabo Ozah, Center for Child Law, University of Pretoria
Dr Meda Couzens, Lecturer, School of Law, Western Sydney University
Dr Nicolas Espejo Yaksic, Supreme Court of Mexico
Professor Ursula Kilkelly, University College Cork
Mr Benoit Van Keirsbilck, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Mr Bragi Gudbrandsson, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Ms. Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen, Member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Dr. Eduardo Rezende Melo, Judge São Paulo Brazil
Ms Hynd Ayoubi, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Ms. Laura Martinez Mora, Secretary, Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law
Dr Mikiko Otani, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Visiting Professor, Leiden University
Ms Velina Todorova, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

Target audience
Academics, professionals, government officials, non-governmental stakeholders, students

Inaugural lecture of Prof. Dr. Ann Skelton
To attend the Inaugural lecture on April 12, we can provide reserved seats.
(additional in shopping cart)

Remote attendance
Remote attendance is not available for this conference.

Recommended Hotels

Golden Tulip Leiden Centre	****
Hotel VIC	****
Fletcher Wellness-Hotel Leiden	****
Ibis Leiden Centre	***

Notice: Because of the 'Flower-season', April is busy period for hotels.

Do you have any questions?
We will gladly answer them.

E-mail: events@law.leidenuniv.nl
Phone: +31 (0)71 527 8666
All contact details

Day 1
Wednesday April 10th 2024

12:30	Welcome lunch & registration
13:30	Opening ceremony Moderated by Ton Liefaard Ann Skelton, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Anna Batalla, Petitions Unit OHCHR Bo Viktor Nylund, UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight
14:00	Key note session I – Taking Stock of 10 Years of the OPIC Moderated by Karabo Ozah Key note 1 - “OPIC Taking stock of the last 10 years, an insider’s perspective” Benoit van Keirsbilck Key note 2 – “A critical appraisal of 10 years of OPIC” Ton Liefaard Q&A
15:00	Afternoon break
15:30	Paper presentations – Round I – Inside OPIC Moderated by Helen Duffy Admissibility Meda Couzens Interim Measures Bragi Gudbrandsson Remedies Velina Todorova Inquiries procedure Feruza Abdullaeva Q&A & Reflections by Jaap Doek
17:30	Welcome reception at Town Hall Leiden Speech by Francisco Vera Facilitated by Bragi Gudbrandsson

Day 2
Thursday April 11th 2024

09:00	Welcome with coffee
09:30	Key note panel - Reflections on Children’s Access to Justice and OPIC - Panel Conversation Cross polination of jurisprudence across other treaty bodies at the regional and international level Moderated by Julia Sloth Nielsen Panel member 1 – Critical reflections from a regional court perspective Robert Nanima - Perspective of African Treaty bodies Panel member 2 – Critical reflections from another international treaty body Corinne Dettmeijer, CEDAW Panel member 3 – comparative across other UN treaty bodies Mikiko Otani Panel member 4 – Critical reflections from the PB HCCH on the impact of OPIC on Hague Children’s Conventions Laura Martinez Mora, Hague Conventions Q&A
11:00	Morning break
11:30	Paper presentations – Round II – Stakeholder involvement Moderated by Hynd Ayoubi Role of ICRIs Bruce Adamson Role of Civil Society Alex Conte \| Child Rights Connect Role of the Judiciary Eduardo Rezende Melo \| Judicial perspective Government Jasper Krommendijk \| Dutch research perspective Q&A Reflections by Alana Organization
13:00	Lunch break
14:00	Building child centred pathways to OPIC What does OPIC deliver for children? Chaired by: Francisco Vera Angela Vigil, Bruce Adamson and Cedric Foussard
15:00	Afternoon break
15:30	Paper presentations – Round III [THEME] Overcoming Challenges \| OPIC and broader A2J Agenda at the domestic level Moderated by Ursula Kilkelly Reinforcing domestic A2J Bo Viktor Nylund \| UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight Strategic Litigation Delphine Rodrik and Hanaa Hakiki \| ECCHR Critical reflections from a domestic constitutional law perspective Constitutional perspective from Latin America \| Nicolas Espejo Yaksic Perspectives for prospective signatories Anna Nylund & Ingun Fornes \| Norway Reflections provided by Manfred Nowak
17:00	Closing Conversation reflections from the UN, CRC Committee and academia OPIC and the broader access to justice for children agenda Moderated by Ton Liefaard Ann Skelton Benoit van Keirsbilck Anna Batalla Bo Viktor Nylund
17:30	Closing reception: offered by De Gruyter Brill