Skopje, 3 July 2023 (MIA) - The Parliamentary Committee on the Political System and Inter-Ethnic Relations held on Monday a public hearing on a new draft law on justice for children, proposed by the Ministry of Justice. The main conclusion of the discussion is that the adoption of this law opens the possibility to further improve the system incorporating international standards, primarily the Convention on the Rights of Children as well as European regulation.

Participants in the discussion welcomed the process of revising the Criminal Code, the law on civil registry and the law on execution of sanctions, noting that those changes should be adopted without delay, in order to improve access to justice and the exercise of children's rights, when such rights are violated, denied, or when children come into conflict or contact with the law.

Also, continuous investment is needed to further strengthen institutional and technical capacities. It is necessary to ensure specialization of professionals working in the justice system for children, to improve the capacities for monitoring the situation of children in the justice system.

Substantial reforms are needed to ensure that detention and correctional facilities are seen as a last resort.

Deputy Justice Minister Viktorija Avramovska Madikj said the draft provisions to this law are based on the European standards for the rights of children and UNICEF recommendations for the improvement of the children's justice system.  

According to her, the main goal of the draft law is to upgrade the provision defining the principle of the best interest of children, the transfer of EU directives on the procedural protection of children who are suspected or accused in criminal proceedings and the directive to establish minimum standards of justice, support and protection of victims of crime, strengthening the protection of child victims and witnesses in criminal proceedings that will contribute to the prevention of victimization of children, regulation of procedural provisions regarding the course of court proceedings against children and strengthening of the mechanism for the prevention of child delinquency.

She noted that the draft law will be forwarded to the Government as soon as possible, and then to the Parliament. 

According to EU Ambassador David Geer, the legal framework for the protection of children has made significant progress in recent years. He added that the draft law includes establishment of a fund for compensation of child victims, and strengthens the prevention of child delinquency.

"Children and young people are the greatest human capital in every society. They are our future. The latest country report notes that legal, institutional and political measures aim to protect children's rights and are in line with international standards and EU laws," Geer said. 

He pointed out that the draft law is welcome and is a step in the right direction, however, there are still open issues towards the full realization of children's rights.

According to Geer, there is a lack of strategic documents on children's rights and a functional body should be set up to oversee the implementation of the law. Also, he added, young people should be consulted more often regarding the adoption of such laws.

"North Macedonia is now in a very significant phase in EU integration. Today, there should be an even greater focus on the adoption and implementation of reforms, so that society can become more responsive to the needs of citizens and enable the right to protection for everyone, including children," said Geer. 

Academician Vlado Kamboski pointed out that after the adoption of this law, laws in related areas including the law on education and the law on family, should be carefully reviewed, as well as the need to introduce major pedagogical services that will look after the children at school.

VMRO-DPMNE MP Gordana Siljanovska Davkova said the approach of this draft law is more tailored to children than previous laws and is guided by the best interest of the child.

MP Snezhana Kaleska Vancheva welcomed the passing of the law and noted that it was well-prepared.

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