London, 14 November 2005

SEXUAL TOURISM: 17th Meeting of the Task Force [consultative meeting].

The Task Force to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation in Tourism, is holding its 17th consultative meeting in London on 14 November 2005 (2:30 - 5:30 pm), in connection with this year's edition of the World
Travel Market (WTM).
This Task Force meeting will feature both a thematic session on "government policies to combat the sexual exploitation of children in tourism" (SECT) and a reporting session open to tourism industry and NGO representatives who wish to report on current actions to prevent SECT. This session is designed to provide opportunities for participants to interact and exchange experiences on ways to prevent and combat this practice.

Representatives and focal points of national tourism administrations (NTAs), as well as representatives of the tourism industry, NGOs and the media are encouraged to join this meeting, their contribution is essential to
support the international campaign against sexual exploitation of children in tourism.

For more information contact:
Task Force Secretariat
World Tourism Organisation (WTO)
Fax: + 34 91 567 8219
Website: http://www.world-tourism.org/protect_children
Email: ethics@world-tourism.org

Brussels, 9-10 November 2005

Future Europeans, The right start in life for children and young people in Europe.

A major international conference on the health and well-being of children and young people in Europe will be organised in Brussels, in the Committee of the Regions and ECOSOC building, rue Belliard 101. The event will bring together 200 local and regional authorities, practitioners, NGOs and policy-makers from across Europe.
The aim of the conference is to explore if children and young people are adequately supported and protected within the EU framework and to share examples of good practice in working with and empowering young people.
The conference is a UK Presidency Associated Event under the Department of Health's focus on health inequalities and is hosted by the Committee of the Regions examples. 'Future Europeans' is organised by the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), the West Midlands, North-West regions of the UK and Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex County Councils and Southampton City Council.

For more information contact :
Website: http://children.epha.org/

Paris X Nanterre, 21-24 September 2005

Xth ISPCAN European Regional Conference.

This event has been organised in occasion of the 9th International Meeting of the European Scientific Association for Residential and Foster Care of Children and Adolescents (EUSARF). EUSARF is a body of scientists voluntarily banded together and concerned with the advancement of knowledge in the field of residential care, foster care and their alternatives for children and youth with psycho-social problems, included young addicts. Its main objective is to promote and develop empirical research in the field of residential and foster care and treatment for children and youth within Europe, thus contributing to the interchange of information relating to this subject between the European members and other associations.

Acknowledging the social difficulties faced by young people, the congress aims to mobilise the international scientific community about the socio-educational supports that should be given to parents, to young people in difficulty that – sometimes – are also problematic people due to the fact that they live in a difficult, uncertain environment.

For more information and to get the programme:
Website: http://netx.u-paris10.fr/eusarf/
Email: congreseusarf@u-paris10.fr

Berlin (Germany), 11-14 September 2005

Xth ISPCAN European Regional Conference.

The Xth ISPCAN European Regional Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, will take place on 11-14 September 2005 in Berlin, Germany. The conference will be organised by the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) and the German Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (GESPCAN).

The theme chosen for the conference is, "New Developments in Science and Practice: Influences on Child Protection." Up-to-date information on innovative research and practice will help professionals from all over Europe to better understand and more effectively address many challenging facets of the complex problem of child abuse and neglect in modern society. Amongst others, the following main topics will be discussed: Child Protection Systems in Europe, Neuro-Biological Effects of Child Maltreatment, Young Children in Institutional Care in Europe, Primary Prevention and Community Intervention, and Abuser and Abused. The Scientific Committee invites Conference delegates to submit abstracts for consideration.

The conference will be open to professionals from all disciplines involved in child abuse and neglect work, including psychologists, social workers, physicians, educators, legislators and law enforcement officers.
Submission deadline: 21 February 2005

For more information, contact:
Conference Secretariat
DGgKV e.V., Konferenzbüro, Mühlendamm 3, 10178 Berlin, Germany
Tel: + 49 30 27 49 64 63; Fax: + 49 30 27 49 64
Email: euroconf2005@ispcan.org
Website: http://www.ispcan.org/euroconf2005

London (UK), 5-16 September 2005

Child to Child Approaches: Course for Facilitators [event]

This is the first year that the Child-to-Child Trust will be conducting a course to introduce and develop training and planning skills in the Child-to-Child approach. The Course Director is Rachel Carnegie, an experienced Child-to-Child trainer and adviser who has worked with the approach all over the world.

For more information, contact:
Farah Babul, Programme Officer
Child-to-Child Trust
20 Bedford Way, London WC1H OAL, UK
Email: ccenquiries@ioe.ac.uk
Website: http://www.child-to-child.org

Oslo (Norway), 29 June- 3 July 2005

Childhoods 2005 – Children and Youth in Emerging and Transforming Societies.

This global conference addressing modern childhood and youth is organised by the University of Oslo, the Norwegian Social Research (NOVA) and the Childwatch International Research Network (CWI).

The title of the conference refers to a world where new ethnic encounters, social change and globalisation creates new childhoods and new lives for young people. More than ever children and young people today live in societies marked by social and cultural change. The purpose of such an event is to see modern childhood and youth in a global perspective and provide an opportunity to present and learn from child research in various countries and regions. The international focus is crucial in a world where local and global issues are intertwined.

The conference will have the traditional outline of a scientific conference including plenary assemblies, sessions and workshops, where individual participants, papers and posters are welcome. Capacities from the fields of culture and politics as well as from academic research from all over the world will contribute with interesting plenary lectures. Some of these arrangements will be open for a wider audience. All plenary sessions and presentations will be related to the conference theme; “Children and Youth in Emerging and Transforming Societies”.

Agenda: http://childhoods2005.uio.no

Brussels (Belgium), 23-24 June 2005

Criminal prevention seminar

Crime prevention for excluded children and youth in Europe: innovative methods and intervention strategies  [seminar] The European Foundation for Street Children Worldwide (EFSCW) is organising a seminar on "Crime prevention for excluded children and youth in Europe: innovative methods and intervention strategies" on 23 and 24 June 2005.
This two-day event - organised as a high-knowledge and practice-oriented seminar - will present modern and innovative methods that can establish a social environment able to prevent youth crime and ensure an effective reintegration of offenders back into the community. Professor Pfeiffer from the University of Hanover will present, for the first time, the results of international research targeted at 15-year-old pupils on the reasons for youth violence, school drop-out and extensive media consumption.
In addition to the exchange of best practice, the seminar should contribute to improving the dialogue between the European and international institutions, NGOs working in the field, juridical authorities and research.
The seminar mainly addresses participants representing social NGOs, research institutes, judicial bodies and governmental agencies working for the rights of children and youth.

For more information, contact:
Elisabetta Fonck, Advocacy and Lobbying Officer European Foundation for Street Children Worldwide (EFSCW)
Square Vergote 34, B - 1030 Brussels, Belgium
Phone + 32 2 347 78 48 - Fax + 32 2 347 79 46
E-mail: elisabetta.fonck@enscw.org
Website: http://www.enscw.org/newseminar1.htm

Vienna (Austria), 3-6 June 2005

Differing Needs: Societies' Responses to Children, Parents, Families and the Older Generations

The International Commission on Couple and Family Relations (ICCFR) invites those involved in couple/family counselling and therapy, family organisations, research, social policy, legislation and legal processes, relationship education and welfare service provision to participate in this conference.

The impact of changes to legislation designed to benefit couples and families around the world will be explored in keynote presentations of this conference, which will examine the idea of "solidarity", review different social systems and draw attention to the influences of new social provisions on the lives of children and adults living in widely different social settings.

Organisation:
Contact: Gerlind Richards, ICCFR General Secretary, 4 Barnfield Wood Close, Beckenham, Kent BR3 6SY - England (UK) -
Phone: +44 208 663 0445 - Fax: +44 208 663 0445 -
E-mail: secretariat@iccfr.org
Website: http://www.iccfr.org

Gmunden (Austria), 1-2 June 2005

EUROPE: Quality Standards in Out-of-Home Childcare [conference]

A European Congress called "Quality4Children" will be held in Gmunden, Austria, between 1 - 2 June 2005, as part of a joint initiative between three organisations that work for and with children who cannot grow up with their biological families. The International Federation of Educative Communities (FICE), International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO) and SOS Children's Villages have come together to launch the project, which aims to improve the chances of development of children and youth in out-of-home childcare in
Europe.
Registration deadline: 25 May 2005

For more information, contact:
Project "Quality4Children", SOS Children's Villages
Hermann-Gmeiner-Straße 51, A-6021 Innsbruck, Austria
Tel: + 43 512 3316 0; Fax: + 43 512 3316 5686
Email: congressinfo@quality4children.info
Website: http://www.quality4children.info

Brussels (Belgium), 20 - 21 May 2005

“Crisis, Separation and Intervention”: Meeting of the International Association of French-speaking family mediators (A.I.F.I.)

The talking, articulated in seminars, round tables and workshops will focus on the analysis of crisis and separation, taking into consideration its consequences on the loss of parental link and on domestic violence.Furthermore, technical aspects of the intervention process will be analysed during discussions and round-tables organised during the second day of the meeting.

For more information, contact:
For further information, seminar programme and other details see:
Website: www.aifi.info

Brussels (Belgium), 19 - 20 May 2005

Excluded Children: European Funding Programmes [seminar]

The European Foundation for Street Children World-wide (EFSCW) has organised a seminar on "EU Funding and Assistance Programmes for Excluded Children and Youth". This two-day event, organised as a high-knowledge, expertise and exchange seminar, will help participants to have a clear vision and understanding of the EU-assistance programmes and funding opportunities at their disposal and make autonomous use of them. In particular for social NGOs working with excluded children and youth, the correct knowledge and application of these funding opportunities provided by the European Union is of crucial importance. The learning objective of this seminar is the conveyance of information and ways of making autonomous use of all relevant EU support programmes for the financing of projects for excluded children and youth projects and the understanding and mastering of the EU application process explained by means of concrete working examples.
The seminar addresses mainly participants representing social NGOs working for children's and youth rights as well as research institutes, governmental agencies and bodies dealing with EU matters. The speakers will be experts, either direct representatives of the European Commission or high-profile consultants with years of experience and expertise in the European Commission's social policy and programmes.


For more information, contact:
Melanie Vritschan, Information and Fundraising Officer European Foundation for Street
Children World-wide (EFSCW)
Square Vergote 34, B - 1030 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: + 32 2 347 78 48; Fax: + 32 2 347 79 46
E-mail: melanie.vritschan@enscw.org
Website: http://www.enscw.org

24-29 April 2005

2005 Global Action Week for Education

Education International (EI) and its partners in the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) will be organising the 6th Global Action Week from 24 to 30 April 2005, on the theme of "Educate to End Poverty". This year's Global Week of Action is of special importance as it coincides with the un-achievement of the first Millennium Development Goal on gender parity in primary education, by 2005. Without the achievement of this first education goal, it will be extremely difficult to achieve Education for All by 2015.

The Global Action Week is one of several events organised by the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) with the intention of mobilising public opinion to exert pressure on governments and intergovernmental agencies to provide free, quality Education For All.

For more information, contact:
Global Action Week
Education International
5, boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: + 32 2 224 06 11; Fax: + 32 2 224 06 06
E-mail: globalactionweek@ei-ie.org
Website: http://www.ei-ie.org/globalactionweek

Brussels (Belgium), 6 April 2005

Care Work in Europe Current understandings and future directions

The Institute of Education – University of London - organized the dissemination seminar “Care Work in Europe” to be held on 6th April 2005 in Brussels.

The seminar is mainly focused on care work and care services in Europe. The aim of the event is to share and disseminate the findings and conclusions from a 3 years cross-national EU-funded research project Care Work in Europe: Current Understandings and Future Directions. The research brings together researches from six partner countries: Denmark, Hungary, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The overall objective of the project has been to contribute to the development of good quality employment in caring services that are responsive to the needs of rapidly changing societies, covering services for children and adults, including older people.

For more information, contact:
Institute of Education, University of London
27/28 Woburn Square, London, WC1H 0AA
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7612 6957; Fax: + 44 (0)20 7612 6927
E-mail: tcru@ioe.ac.uk
Website: http://www.ioe.ac.uk
Programme

The Hague (The Netherlands), 17 to 18 March 2005

International Criminal Accountability and the Rights of Children

In recent years major progress has been achieved in the progressive development of international criminal law and the creation of international criminal justice institutions. Despite the overall influence and impact of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on many other legal and policy fields, the needs and rights of children in international criminal accountability mechanisms have so far perhaps been underexposed, or at least are only since fairly recently subjects of prominent attention within international criminal law and accountability mechanisms.

The Institute of Social Studies (ISS) and the United Nations University (UNU) are organising a joint conference on the subject, to be held in March 2005, as part of the annual Conference Series "From Peace to Justice" of the Hague Academic Coalition. The conference will address broad themes of children's rights, international criminal accountability, and impunity.

Other events