Jurists learn to communicate with children in legal system

Specialists from six East European and Central Asian countries will improve their skills and knowledge of communication with children in the legal system within a regional seminar organized in Chisinau by EU-UNICEF, Info-Prim Neo reports. The seminar is taking place during October 15-27 and represents the second phase of the Protection of Children against Torture and Maltreatment in Central Asia and Eastern Europe Project. It involves specialists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Georgia, and Moldova. In opening the event, Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Dirk Schuebel said that the participating states were selected based on detailed assessments of the necessities of reforming juvenile justice. “Until now we made significant progress in this area, but by such seminars we aim to strengthen the data collection system, the juvenile probation system and the respect for the detained children. The EU promised to provide funds to positively develop the situation in the legal system of these states,” said the EU Ambassador. UNICEF Representative to Moldova Alexandra Yuster said that the second course that started today (the first was held in Georgia) aims to ensure the implementation of the European standards in juvenile justice. “The children break the law for different reasons. These reasons should be found out and the children should be helped overcome this situation,” she stated. According to the organizers, the seminar was designed as training for trainers. Moldova is represented by judge Viorica Puica, who is a lecturer at the National Justice Institute, and Anatolie Andronache, who teaches at “Stefan cel Mare” Academy of the Ministry of the Interior. The specialists will make a field trip to Ungheni, where a pilot project was implemented and a child-friendly interrogation room, a probation office and a child rehabilitation center were set up. An instruction book will be devised during the seminar, which will be later adapted to every country and integrated in the curriculum of the national training institutions.