What we do
Congress Data
The International Congress is the culmination of the work of AIMJF. They are an opportunity for exchange between people from all over the world who are dedicated to the protection of children or the family to discuss matters that are the responsibility of the Family Courts and Juvenile Courts. The themes of these Congresses not only reflect the full range of professional issues, but also current social and political issues, the impacts on the protection and justice of minors and the family.
It is only from the 5th Congress (Brussels, 1958), AIMJF adopted a general theme.
Previously, various topics were covered by section, as will be seen in the following description.
01.
— 1st Congress
(Brussels, Belgium, July 26-29, 1930)
The child in front of the Court
- Situation of the Juvenile Courts in front of the protection of children from an international and national point of view
02.
— 2nd Congress
(Brussels, Belgium, July 15-17, 1935)
- The effects of the crisis and unemployment in childhood and adolescence
- Opportunity for a specialized juvenile police
- The patronage of foreign children
- Auxiliary services of the Juvenile Courts
03.
— 3rd Congress
(Liège, Belgium, July 17-20, 1950)
- The institutions called to hear disputes between the child and society on one
- side, and the child and his environment on the other side
- Main aspects of the problem of children with disabilities or threatened in their
- Social adaptation
- Mission of the children’s jurisdiction – Training and specialization of children’s magistrates – cooperation jurisdictions with auxiliary services
04.
— 4th Congress
(Brussels, Belgium, 16-July 19, 1954)
- The status of the child (general questions)
- The interventions that justify the relationship between the child and the parents
- The child and society
- The protection of youth
05.
— 5th Congress
(Brussels, Belgium, July 14-18, 1958)
- General theme: the social and educational action of juvenile jurisdictions
06.
— 6th Congress
(Naples, Italy, September 26-29, 1962)
- General theme: The youth magistrate, his formation and his collaborators
07.
— 7th Congress
(Paris, France, July 18-23, 1966)
- General theme: The judicial protection of youth in the world
08.
— 8th Congress
(Brussels, Belgium, July 1970)
- General Theme: The magistrate, the child, the family, the community
09.
— 9th Congress
(Oxford, England, July 1974)
- General Theme: Justice for youth in a changing world evolution
10.
— 10th Congress
(Montreal, Canada, July 21, 1978)
- General Topic: The judge and environmental pressures on youth and the family
11.
— 11th Congress
(Amsterdam, Netherlands, August 1982)
- General Topic: Justice for the youth and the family in the social context
12.
— 12th Congress
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 24-29, 1986)
- General theme: The child separated from his family
13.
— 13th Congress
(Turin, Italy, September 16-21, 1990)
- General theme: New families
14.
— 14th Congress
(Bremen, Germany, August 28-September 2, 1994)
- General theme: Young offenders and their families – the question of human rights
15.
— 15th Congress
(Buenos Aires, Argentina November 2 to 6, 1998)
- General theme: Youth and social changes, new challenges for justice, politics and society
16.
— 16th Congress
(Melbourne, Australia, 26-31 October 2002)
- General Theme: Forging Links
17.
— 17th Congress
(Belfast, Northern Ireland, August 27-September 1, 2006)
- General Theme: Putting the Pieces Back Together
18.
— 18th Congress
(Hammamet, Tunisia, April 21-24, 2010)
- General theme: United in diversity
Guidelines
The Guidelines and children’s rights – The legal status of children has evolved considerably in recent decades. Beyond the numerous modifications experienced by the national legislation of many countries, important international instruments have confirmed the condition of children as subjects of rights. This change began in 1980, culminating in the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. Other significant international instruments of the United Nations have been adopted at the same time and also more recently. Among them:
The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (“The Beijing Rules”, 1985);
- The United Nations Rules for the Protection of Minors Deprived of their Liberty (“The Rules of Havana”, 1990);
- The United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (“The Riyadh Guidelines”, 1990);
- The United Nations Guidelines on Justice in matters involving child victims and witnesses of crime (ECOSOC Res. 2005/20, 2005);
- The Guidance note of the United Nations Secretary General: UN approach to justice for children (2008);
- The United Nations Guidelines on Alternative Care for Children (2010);
- Resolution 18/12 of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the rights of man in the administration of justice, in particular juvenile justice (2011).
Other important documents, addressing different issues, called General Comments, have been issued by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and provide a remarkable understanding of how the various documents should be interpreted and applied. In addition, other international organizations other than the United Nations Organization have established their positions on different issues, contributing to a collective vision of children and justice….