Meaningful Participation and Collaboration: Reflections from the 2026 Eurochild Conference

In this blog, Pelopidas Nikolopoulos, Head of Advocacy at Network for Children’s Rights, shares some reflections on the 2026 Eurochild Conference in Cyprus, organised by Eurochild and its member, the Pancyprian Coordinating Committee for the Protection and Welfare of Children (PCCPWC), and hosted by the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Eurochild Conference on Child Protection Systems, provided an important space for children, professionals, civil society organisations and policymakers to exchange experiences and reflect on how children’s rights can be better protected and promoted across Europe, while incorporating children and their voices as equal participants both from the Eurochild Children’s Council and Cypriot Children’s Parliament. The conference brought together diverse perspectives on social protection, child participation, digital environment, access to justice and effective remedies, highlighting the importance of placing children at the centre of policy and decision-making processes.

Children from the Eurochild Children’s Council played an important role in coordinating workshops, panels and presenting their contribution to Eurochild’s Guide on creating accessible documents with and for children, a session entitled “Including me”. In addition, children form the Cyprus Children Parliament made a substantial and meaningful contribution throughout all parts of the Conference, highlighting the importance of including children’s voices in such discussions.

One of the sessions I participated in was the “Access to Justice and Effective Remedy for Social Protection” workshop. The workshop provided meaningful insight into how the European Court of Human Rights interprets and applies the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in its decisions. The discussion highlighted the importance of ensuring that the international legal framework is effectively reflected in, and influences, national legislation, policies and judicial practice. A key reflection from the workshop was that social protection systems should be co-designed with the meaningful participation of children, alongside the contribution of civil society experts at local, regional and national levels.

The discussions also reinforced the value of collaboration among NGOs. Working collectively through alliances can strengthen advocacy efforts, increase impact and provide a stronger voice when engaging with policymakers. In this context, the Scottish approach, which was presented in the human library, offered an interesting example of good practice that could be explored and potentially adapted to other national contexts. At the same time, the Cypriot Children’s Parliament was an inspiring example of child participation by demonstrating how children can have a meaningful platform to express their views and contribute to public discussions.

What I took away from Eurochild’s Conference is the substantial participation of children and the important role they had throughout the conference, as well as the discussions and exchanges I had with several colleagues, particularly those from Scotland and Ireland, who always have innovative practices to share. Additionally, the very warm approach from the Eurochild’s Management Board, the Secretary General and the Secretariat, as well as the friendly environment throughout both days of the Conference, should be highlighted. The venue, the food and the overall organisation of the Conference were also great.

On the other hand, I should admit that due to the great attendance, there was not enough time to meet and exchange knowledge with many of the participants. One thing I missed was a welcoming speech at the opening of the Conference from the Eurochild Children’s Council, similar to the one delivered at the closing.

I genuinely enjoyed being part of the Conference and participating as much as I could, engaging in discussions with the children and attending the workshops. I highly valued the opportunity to network, exchange experiences and learn from the children, as well as from professionals working across different areas of children’s rights and social protection.

The Conference was a valuable reminder that effective child-rights policies require child participation, cooperation and accountability. Meaningful change happens when children, civil society, policymakers and institutions work together to ensure that rights are not only recognized, but effectively implemented in everyday life.

I look forward to meet everyone again in person in the next Eurochild Conference!