The right to participation is essential in the lives of juveniles. It is a fundamental right, which refers to the possibility of expressing opinions and the right of the youth to be involved in the decisions that directly affect their life and the community they belong to. Exercising the right to participation develops communication skills and increases young people’s confidence in their own strengths and in the ability of adults / of the system to meet their development needs.

Within the Away project, a Youth Consultative Group was set up, which included 15 juveniles in conflict with the law. There were 11 meetings of the advisory board both in Craiova and Bucharest, meetings during which members were invited to express their views on the topic approached and to provide support in the content of a brochure with material adapted for young people. The brochure will describe the juvenile justice system and will aim to increase the awareness of children’s rights in court proceedings.

Drawing by the Youth Advisory Group of the Craiova Detention Centre

At some of these meetings, experts, such as Mr. Silviu Dumitru and Mr. Lucian Caciamac, were invited to participate, who discussed with young people the experiences of living and the understanding of judicial procedures, as well as opportunities for reintegration into society. 

The Project AWAY – Alternative Ways to Address Youth  – is a European project coordinated by Tdh Hungary in partnership with Brave Phone (Croatia), Judicial Development Programme (Bulgaria), Defence for Children International (Belgium), International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO – Belgium), Tdh Romania and Global Network for Public Interest Law – Pilnet (Hungary).

The project AWAY is co-funded by the REC Programme of the European Union.