Summary: The overall theme of the 2001 World
Congress is "International
Cooperation for the Protection of
Children".
A significant purpose of the Congress
will be to create an international
network of lawyers and associated
professionals working for the
protection of children, to be known
as "The International Children's
Rights Protection Network".
2001 WORLD CONGRESS ON FAMILY LAW
AND THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Bath, 19 - 22 September 2001
17 Sept:
FOR NEWS AND PICTURE DESKS
LEGAL INITIATIVE TO CREATE
WORLWIDE PROTECTIVE NETWORK FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
An International Children's Protection Network to safeguard
children's rights is to be launched at the World Congress on
Family Law & the Rights of Children & Youth in Bath this week
with backing from the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.
Over 500 family lawyers and children’s rights advocates from
around the world are expected to attend the event which was
originally timed to coincide with the UN Special Session on
Children’s Rights. That has now been postponed after last week’s
atrocity in New York, but the Congress will open with a message
from the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Mary Robinson,
at 9.30 on Thursday 20 September. UNICEF’s Marta Santos Pais
from UNICEF headquarters in New York is expected to address
the closing session at 2pm on Saturday 22 September.
Congress Co-Chair Stuart Fowler says: “The Network will also
provide the general public with much-needed information so that
they too can join in the endeavour to create a world in which
children can grow to adulthood enjoying their innate rights and
be educated in the need to uphold them for the children of the
future.”
PRESS EVENTS
Thurs 20 Sept The Forum, St James Parade, Bath
09.30 Opening ceremony with address from Mary Robinson,
UN High Commissioner on Human Rights with Rt Hon Dame
Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, President, Family Division of High Court
13.00 PRESS CONFERENCE Upper Seminar Room,
The Forum
Launch of International Children's Protection Network
with Justice Rodney K Burr & Stuart G. Fowler
Co-chairs, World Congress on Family Law & Children's Rights
Saturday 22 Sept
15.30 CLOSING PRESS CONFERENCE Upper Seminar
Room, The Forum
with Marta Santos Pais, Director, Division of Evaluation, Policy and
Planning UNICEF, New York
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA WISHING TO ATTEND
PLEASE REGISTER AT THE PRESS DESK IN THE FORUM FOYER
For more details or to arrange interviews or photo-calls please
contact:
Press officer Margie Cook: (from Wed): + 44 (0)1225 310748 /
310580 (Media Room)
OR Mike Jempson: 0796 803 1532 / Priya Varghese: 0787 645
0746
For full details of the Congress programme visit:
www.lawrights.asn.au/html/program.htm
=========
Under its advocacy functions the Network will, through
cooperation with local professional organisations, represent
children or assist in the representation of children in landmark
cases where the outcome is likely to affect the protection of
children generally, and to provide systems of pro bono
representation of children where serious injustice would result
otherwise.
Under its educational functions the Network will:
assist with the education of lawyers, judges and administrators
in the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child, the Hague Conventions on Children and other relevant
conventions;
advocate and encourage the ratification and implementation of
international instruments for the protection of children and the
adoption of "child-friendly" laws and policies;
by the use of the media create climates for change by generating
public desire and political will for change;
assist in partnership with others, the training of journalists and
other media representatives to better, more appropriately and
sensitively report on the rights of children and related issues;
and the Network will actively seek to become involved in
international forum providing its perspective and expertise as
appropriate.
The four themes of the Congress are:
(a) Letting Children and Youth Speak Out for Themselves
This is intended to deal with the dilemma of child autonomy and
the protection of children from harm. Can a child refuse beneficial
medical treatment? Can a 17 year old decide to become a
prostitute? When and how should the wishes of children be
taken into account in family disputes? To give effectiveness to
this theme, it is proposed that there will be a Youth Forum in
which proposals for future action will be worked out.
(b) International Instruments for Cooperation
This theme will explore the international treaties and conventions
already in force which seek to protect to protect the rights of
children. They include the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child and the Hague Conventions on Child Abduction, Inter-
country Adoption, and Protection of Children. There are also
regional conventions in Europe, Africa and the Americas which will
be considered.
(c) The Impact of Social Change on Family Law
This will deal with the changes in lifestyle, technology and
international mobility which have had their impact on family law.
The topics in this category should be of special interest to
practitioners. They will include: international family law litigation;
the division of property; same sex and single parent family
structures; the dealing with migrant communities and cultural
diversity; international maintenance and child support; changes
to non-possessory forms of parent-child relationships in several
countries.
(d) The Protection of the Human Dignity of Children
This is a wide ranging theme which will deal with issues such as
child labour, child prostitution and pornography. It will also deal
with the rights of children in legal proceedings, including criminal,
proceedings.
________________________________
PRESS RELEASE: Legal Eagles to gather in Bath
Family lawyers meet in UK as UN convenes Special Session on
Children's Rights
A unique flying squad of legal eagles is being set up to support
fast-track court action around the world in an unprecedented
move to help vulnerable children and young people.
The international Children's Protection Network is to be
established at an international Congress in Bath this September.
This high-profile event, under the patronage of Mary Robinson,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, is intended
to provide a permanent 'bank' of lawyers and associated
professionals who can work on landmark cases involving
youngsters at short notice.
These children's rights advocates will be ready to travel to court-
based cases aimed at protecting children and young people. At
the same time, other lawyers can demonstrate their commitment
to children's rights by voicing their concerns when children
anywhere are at risk.
"The Congress will not be all talk and no action," says Sydney-
based lawyer Stuart Fowler, Congress co-chairman.
"We shall be examining the experience and concerns of lawyers
and children rights experts from around the world, and
developing strategies to ensure that justice systems everywhere
operate in the best interests of that child,and that those who
ignore the rights of children are called to account" he said.
Child soldiers, child prostitution and the rights and treatment of
children involved in criminal matters are among other issues on
the agenda to be addressed by the 2001 World Congress on
Family Law and the Rights of Children and Youth on September
20-22.
Influential speakers from the United Kingdom, North and South
America, Europe, Australasia and Africa will converge on Bath, in
addition to an anticipated audience of some 1,000 lawyers,
judges and allied professionals from around the world.
Major themes of the Congress, which is supported by the Diana,
Princess of Wales Memorial Fund and other global institutions, will
include the impact of media coverage on children's rights issues;
child labour; the international abduction of children; children as
witnesses; and the effectiveness of international conventions on
family law.
"The Bath Congress promises to be a most prestigious gathering
of opinion-formers and legal practitioners who can make a real
difference to policies and the administration of justice for children
everywhere," Mr Fowler added.
[Source: Bath 2001 Congress]
UK CONTACT : David Truex, of David Truex & Company
International family Law Chambers, Tel : 0207 583 5040