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Description
The project aims to improve the opportunities for vulnerable Roma children to get fair and rights-based access to justice through the development and implementation of a specialized social service "Access to Justice", which is based on an integrated approach. The active participation of the Roma community in two neighbourhoods in Sofia (Filipovtsi and Fakulteta), community leaders, civil society organizations, specialists in the field of juvenile justice was encouraged in its development.
An information campaign in the community (sensitization meetings, training workshops and seminars) will raise sensitivity, knowledge and skills about the rights of children in contact with the law and how parents can advocate for them. Through participatory research and community and stakeholder consultations, the difficulties and needs that children have in contacting the justice system will be discussed and their expectations of support identified. An expert team, building on the findings of the research and consultation, will develop a specialist service programme, which will be delivered in a dedicated and equipped specialist environment, by a trained interdisciplinary team, with the support of community leaders and facilitators and institutional support.
The sustainability of the support provided in the specialised service is expected to have an impact on improving the access of children from the target groups to justice in line with their rights and in accordance with international best practices and CoE standards on juvenile justice. In this sense, the project proposal has added value and contribution in line with international and European standards on children’s rights and respect for their best interests.