Lundy-day

On 24 October, on UN Day itself, Oslo was visited by Professor Laura Lundy. We believe this marked the start of a new era in Norway for Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Norway is good at many of children’s rights, but not at Article 12. You should, and can be. There is no question if this should be done, only how. Norway should build further on good experiences made by different stakeholder, Laura says.

Laura Lundy from Northern Ireland has inspired more than 10 countries in and outside Europe to take major steps to ensure that affected groups of children under the age of 18 are involved in all important decisions that affect them, both locally and nationally. She has also inspired the World Health Organisation (WHO) and guided the European Commission.

Laura has written the book “Voice is not enough” where she emphasises that a society must listen to the views of children and young people, assess and emphasise this, and give them real influence in decisions that concern them as a group. She particularly emphasises the importance of involving groups of children in vulnerable life situations. Laura has developed a model to guide anyone who makes decisions for children, at a national or local level, or in the everyday lives of children. The model is rights-based and emphasises the responsibility that politicians in the parliament, ministries, directorates, municipalities, educational institutions, services, schools, organisations and many more have.

MANY GOOD PEOPLE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROGRAMME ON OCTOBER 24TH:
Laura Lundy, Co-Director of the Center for Children’s Rights, Professor of Children’s Rights at Queen’s University, Belfast and Professor of Law at University College Cork.
Eli Blakstad (The Centre Party), State Secretary in the Ministry of Children and Families
Grunde Almeland (The Liberal Party), leader of the Family Committee at the Parliament
Ragnhild Male Hartviksen (The Labour Party) parliamentary politician in the Justice Committee
Mina Gerhardsen, children’s representative
Jon Christian Fløysvik Nordrum, researcher Department of Public Law University in Oslo
Sjur Lehmann, director of the Norwegian Health Authority
Christian Børge Sørensen, special advisor for human rights
Elin Saga Kjørholt, senior subject advisor from the Children’s Ombudsperson
Marit Skivenes, professor of political science and part of CF’s board
Arild Bjørndal, professor of social medicine and part of CF’s board
Leon, Vanessa, Glorija, Dania and Celina from CF contributed in dialogues.

THANK YOU for all engaged, wise, solution-focused and forward-looking talks. The theme throughout was how children can contribute to the development of schools and services, initiatives, budgets, legislation and other types of measures.

Many promised that decisions will be better when we include children’s solutions, that children must be involved early enough in decisions, and that you must be open and transparent with how you have assessed and emphasised children’s views. Something that also came up was what mechanisms we should have to stop decisions when we have not first secured the obligation in Article 12 to hear and take seriously the views of children.

Many were grateful that Laura put into words that Norway is not good at involving the groups of children in question and is far from good enough to ensure that children under the age of 18 and children in vulnerable life situations are included in decisions. Now there are many of us who will achieve this together in Norway in the future!