CURE Conference

Within the framework of the project a conference was organised as a part of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union in Stockholm at Sheraton Hotel on December 3-4, 2009.  Ministry officials from almost all member states were present together with representatives from the criminal justice system, and representatives from the European Commission, Council of Europe and international child organisations.



Participants at the CURE conference


Material from the conference is available in pdf-files, see the links in the programme.

 

Programme:

Thursday December 3

11.30 Registration opens

13.00 Welcome to the conference
Ms Margareta Bergström, Director-General, the Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority, Sweden

13.05 Key-note speech
Protecting children and preventing their victimization – from policy to action, from drafting legislation to practical implementation
Mr Ezzat Fattah, Professor Emeritus, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada     
See abstract

CHILD VICTIMS AND THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK

14.15 Presentation of the CURE-project
Ms Anna Wergens, project leader, the Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority, Sweden

14.45 Integrated approach to violence against children: Council of Europe tools at work.
Ms Lioubov Samokhina, Senior Programme Officer, Programme "Building a Europe for and with children", Council of Europe
See abstract     See ppt-presentation

15.15 Coffee


THE EU AND THE CHILD VICTIM

15.40 Protecting victims in the European Union: achievements and future perspectives
Mr Peter Csonka, Head of Unit, Criminal Justice Issues (DG JLS.E3), European Commission
See ppt-presentation

16.00 Towards an EU strategy for the rights of the child
Mr Sandy Ruxton, independent policy advisor and researcher, England
See abstract     See ppt-presentation

16.30 Break with refreshments

PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH CHILD VICTIMS

16.45 When will we start listening to children?
Mr Michael Lamb, Professor, Head of Department, Faculty of Politics, Psychology, Sociology and International Studies, Cambridge University, England
See abstract     See ppt-presentation

17.15 Justice in matters involving child victims
Ms Renate Winter, Justice, Appeals Chamber of the Special Court of Sierra Leone
See ppt-presentation

17.40 Talking to children who are victims of crime
Mr Thomas Mueller, Programme Manager Europe, Child Helpline International, the Netherlands
See abstract     See ppt-presentation

18.00 End of today’s programme

 
Friday December 4

PRACTICE

9.00 Introduction to the agenda of the day

9.15 Discussion in working groups

10.25 Coffee break

10.45 Presentation of best practices

The Child is a witness with special needs
Ms Maria Keller-Hamela, Nobody’s Children Foundation, Poland
See ppt-presentation

Baltic Sea Region Comprehensive Assistance to Children Victims of Trafficking
Mr Lars Lööf, Head of Children’s Unit, Council of the Baltic Sea States, Sweden
See ppt-presentation

Supporting young victims of crime in England and Wales
Ms Gita Sisupalan, Policy lead for young victims and witnesses, Office for Criminal Justice Reform, England
See abstract    

The UN Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime and the tools developed to assist Member States in their implementation.
Ms Miri Sharon, Associate Legal Officer, Organized Crime and Criminal Justice Section, Treaty and Legal Assistance Branch, Division for Treaty Affairs, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
See abstract     See ppt-presentation

12.00 Lunch

13.15 Project Victims in Europe (VinE) and vulnerable victims
Ms Carmen Rasquete, project Manager, and Mr Frederico Marques, Project Officer, the Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV)
See abstract

VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE

13.40 Reports from the working groups, concluding remarks and room for questions

14.50 Break

15.15 Children - Just a voice at trial or an empowered voice throughout the criminal justice system?
Mr Simon Deacy, Chief Superintendent, Police Unit Head Police/CPS Victim and Witness Care Delivery Unit
See ppt-presentation

15.45 The Swedish Minister for Justice
Ms Beatrice Ask

16.00 End of conference