Children’s access to justice can no longer remain a “a grey area”, President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said this morning, insisting all efforts to help protect children’s rights should be exhausted.

“The harsh reality is that most vulnerable children are not aware of their intrinsic right to access justice.

“They are not empowered or nurtured, they are not empowered to enjoy a sense of control over their own lives,” the President said this morning during the opening of the second edition of the National Conference on Child Wellbeing.

The theme of this year’s two-day conference, being held at the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta, is 'access to justice for children'.

During her opening address, the President also called for children to be given the opportunity to speak up when they came to voice their concerns.

“Children and young people are experts when it comes to their own experiences. Ideas, aspirations and needs of children must be listened to and addressed and it’s the responsibility of adults to help these children and encourage them to develop their skills.”

Ms Coleiro-Preca also called for vulnerable groups within society to be given “focused attention” in order to make sure they are provided with equal rights.