Eurochild President brings high-level discussions on children’s rights in the EU

Last week, H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Eurochild, met with key stakeholders in Brussels to discuss the state of children’s rights across the EU, drawing on insights from Eurochild’s flagship report.

Following a series of high-level meetings in December, Her Excellency returned to Brussels to discuss the flagship report Children's Realities in Europe: Progress & Gaps, bringing the voices of Eurochild members on the ground to EU institutions and exploring opportunities for Eurochild to support their work. Findings from our upcoming sub-reports on specific children's rights issues were also shared.

• The need to strengthen children’s rights in the EU and beyond

In a meeting with European Parliament Vice-President Ewa Kopacz, European Parliament Coordinator on Children’s Rights and Chair of the High-Level Group on Gender Equality and Diversity, Her Excellency highlighted the urgency of strengthening child protection frameworks. Key topics included healthcare for children, mental health and children’s rights in the digital environment.

Our President also engaged with members of the Bureau of the Intergroup on Children’s Rights, including Chair MEP Caterina Chinnici, Vice-Chairs MEP Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová and MEP Antonio López-Istúriz White, as well as the Secretary-General of the Intergroup, Emilio Puccio. The discussions highlighted the importance of prioritising children’s rights, particularly in environments where civil society organisations and child rights activists face increasing challenges.

Her Excellency also met with Commissioner for Mediterrenean Dubravka Šuica, focusing on the human rights violations faced by children on the move. Particular attention was given to Europe’s responsibility to ensure the protection of children’s rights in the Middle East.

• A focus on children’s social rights

During her visit to Brussels, H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca also engaged with the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, holding in-depth discussions with Director-General Mario Nava and Director for Social Rights and Inclusion Katarina Ivanković-Knežević. This meeting explored systemic issues affecting children’s social rights and examined actionable recommendations, particularly regarding funding for civil society organisations. Discussions also focused on the recently published sub-report assessing the implementation of the European Child Guarantee based on Eurochild members’ perspectives.

Very productive was also meeting with MEP Hristo Petrov, Chair of the Intergroup on Fighting Poverty. Eurochild welcomes the establishment of the Intergroup and looks forward to contributing to its work from a child rights perspective, including by drawing on its expertise in strengthening families and preventing family separation and institutionalisation.

Her Excellency also met with Maltese MEP David Casa to discuss the role of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs in breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty and social exclusion.

• Discussions with EEA and Norway Grants

While in Brussels, Eurochild president also held discussions with Ragna Fidjestøl, Managing Director, and Sheena Elaine Keller, Senior Sector Officer from the Financial Mechanism Office of the EEA and Norway Grants. It was great to discuss our shared commitment to continue addressing critical issues such as child poverty, mental health, inclusive education, access to essential services, digital safety, and the well-being of vulnerable groups.

• What’s next?

Eurochild is currently working on publishing several sub-reports taken from its 2024 flagship report on children in need across Europe. These sub-reports will provide a focused overview of key topics, including children’s rights in the digital environment, mental health, child participation, early childhood development, and Roma children. The EU Child Guarantee sub-report has just been published, and more reports are planned for later in the year. We look forward to sharing these insights and continuing to collaborate with EU institutions to inform and contribute to various EU initiatives.

Take a look at the photos on Flickr here or below