ENOC seminar held in Malta

The European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC)'s thematic seminar was held last week at St Joseph retreat house, Rabat, with the theme 'The specific role of Ombudspersons for Children in Europe to make children's voices heard and their rights enhanced'.

ENOC is a network of 37 national independent entities. It was created in order to encourage the fullest implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. ENOC plays a key role in the development, promotion and implementation of any other policies and initiatives relating to children, on a national, European and international level.

The Office of the Commissioner for Children in Malta forms part of ENOC.

The ENOC thematic seminar gives European commissioners and ombudspersons for children the opportunity to discuss issues that are common across Europe.

The specific aims of this seminar are to develop a transnational exchange on how to better protect and promote the rights of children, and to ensure their voice is heard by strengthening the visibility and the role of ombudspersons for children across Europe. The seminar also focuses on the identification of the main difficulties and challenges faced by ENOC members in the accomplishment of their functions.

The participants were welcomed by Maltese Commissioner for Children Helen D'Amato and by Dominique Versini, Ombudsperson for France, which currently holds the ENOC chair.