• Start date:
  • 10 April 2024
  • Duration:
  • 3 days
  • Legal area:
  • Internationaal Privaatrecht, Jeugdrecht
  • Course:
  • Conference

About the conference
10th Anniversary Symposium on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure

The Leiden Children’s Rights Observatory, together with the Leiden Law Academy in partnership with the Petitions Section of the Office for the High Commissioner for the Human Rights and UNICEF, will host the symposium to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure (OPIC). 

As we commemorate a decade of the OPIC, this symposium provides a unique opportunity for academics, professionals, government officials, and non-governmental stakeholders and young people to come together, share their knowledge and experiences, and chart a path forward toward the improved access to justice for children through the OPIC, and more states ratifying OPIC. Engaging in critical discourse and collaborative efforts can further advance the protection and promotion of children’s rights worldwide.

Conference speakers

  • Professor Dr. Ton Liefaard, Leiden University
  • Professor Dr. Ann Skelton, Leiden University and Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
  • Professor Bruce Adamson, University of Glasgow
  • Professor Helen Duffy, Leiden University
  • Professor Jasper Krommendijk , Raboud University
  • Professor Julia Sloth-Nielsen, University of Huddersfield
  • Ms Karabo Ozah, Center for Child Law, University of Pretoria
  • Dr Meda Couzens, Lecturer, School of Law, Western Sydney University
  • Dr Nicolas Espejo Yaksic, Supreme Court of Mexico
  • Professor Ursula Kilkelly, University College Cork 
  • Mr Benoit Van Keirsbilck, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
  • Mr Bragi Gudbrandsson, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
  • Ms. Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen, Member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
  • Dr. Eduardo Rezende Melo, Judge São Paulo Brazil
  • Ms Hynd Ayoubi, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
  • Ms. Laura Martinez Mora, Secretary, Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law
  • Dr Mikiko Otani, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Visiting Professor, Leiden University
  • Ms Velina Todorova, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child 

Target audience
Academics, professionals, government officials, non-governmental stakeholders, students

Inaugural lecture of Prof. Dr. Ann Skelton
To attend the Inaugural lecture on April 12, we can provide reserved seats.
(additional in shopping cart)

Remote attendance
Remote attendance is not available for this conference.

Recommended Hotels

Golden Tulip Leiden Centre ****  
Hotel VIC ****

 

Fletcher Wellness-Hotel Leiden ****  

Ibis Leiden Centre

***  

Notice: Because of the 'Flower-season', April is busy period for hotels.

Do you have any questions?
We will gladly answer them.

E-mail: events@law.leidenuniv.nl
Phone: +31 (0)71 527 8666
All contact details

Day 1
Wednesday April 10th 2024

12:30 Welcome lunch & registration
13:30

Opening ceremony
Moderated by Ton Liefaard

  • Ann Skelton, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
  • Anna Batalla, Petitions Unit OHCHR
  • Bo Viktor Nylund, UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight
14:00

Key note session I – Taking Stock of 10 Years of the OPIC
Moderated by Karabo Ozah

Key note 1 - “OPIC Taking stock of the last 10 years, an insider’s perspective”

  • Benoit van Keirsbilck

Key note 2 – “A critical appraisal of 10 years of OPIC”

  • Ton Liefaard

Q&A

15:00 Afternoon break
15:30

Paper presentations – Round I – Inside OPIC
Moderated by Helen Duffy

Admissibility

  • Meda Couzens

Interim Measures

  • Bragi Gudbrandsson 

Remedies

  • Velina Todorova 

Inquiries procedure 

  • Feruza Abdullaeva

Q&A & Reflections by Jaap Doek

17:30 Welcome reception at Town Hall Leiden
Speech by Francisco Vera 
Facilitated by Bragi Gudbrandsson

 

 

Day 2
Thursday April 11th 2024

09:00 Welcome with coffee
09:30

Key note panel

- Reflections on Children’s Access to Justice and OPIC

- Panel Conversation Cross polination of jurisprudence across other treaty bodies at the regional and international level
Moderated by Julia Sloth Nielsen

Panel member 1 – Critical reflections from a regional court perspective

  • Robert Nanima -  Perspective of African Treaty bodies

Panel member 2 – Critical reflections from another international treaty body

  • Corinne Dettmeijer, CEDAW

Panel member 3 – comparative across other UN treaty bodies  

  • Mikiko Otani

Panel member 4 – Critical reflections from the PB HCCH on the impact of OPIC on Hague Children’s Conventions

  • Laura Martinez Mora, Hague Conventions

Q&A

11:00

Morning break

11:30

Paper presentations – Round II – Stakeholder involvement
Moderated by Hynd Ayoubi

Role of ICRIs

  •  Bruce Adamson

Role of Civil Society

  • Alex Conte | Child Rights Connect

Role of the Judiciary 

  • Eduardo Rezende Melo | Judicial perspective

Government

  • Jasper Krommendijk | Dutch research perspective

Q&A Reflections by Alana Organization

13:00 Lunch break
14:00

Building child centred pathways to OPIC
What does OPIC deliver for children?
Chaired by: Francisco Vera 

  • Angela Vigil, Bruce Adamson and Cedric Foussard  
15:00 Afternoon break
15:30

Paper presentations – Round III [THEME] Overcoming Challenges | OPIC and broader A2J Agenda at the domestic level 
Moderated by Ursula Kilkelly

Reinforcing domestic A2J

  • Bo Viktor Nylund | UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight

Strategic Litigation

  • Delphine Rodrik and Hanaa Hakiki | ECCHR 

Critical reflections from a domestic constitutional law perspective

  • Constitutional perspective from Latin America | Nicolas Espejo Yaksic

Perspectives for prospective signatories

  • Anna Nylund & Ingun Fornes | Norway

Reflections provided by Manfred Nowak  

17:00

Closing Conversation
reflections from the UN, CRC Committee and academia
OPIC and the broader access to justice for children agenda
Moderated by Ton Liefaard

  • Ann Skelton
  • Benoit van Keirsbilck
  • Anna Batalla  
  • Bo Viktor Nylund
17:30 Closing reception: offered by De Gruyter Brill

 

Friday 12 April 2024 (optional)

16:00 Inaugural Lecture prof. A.M. Skelton
   
   


 

mr. Bruce Adamson Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
prof. B. Adamson
...
Hynd Ayoubi Idrissi Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
H. Ayoubi
...
Meda Couzens Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
M. Couzens
...
Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
C. Dettmeijer-Vermeulen
...
prof. Helen Duffy Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
prof. H. Duffy
...
dr. Nicolas Espejo Yaksic Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
dr. N. Espejo Yaksic
...
mr. Bragi Gudbrandsson Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
mr. B. Gudbrandsson
...
Speaker
prof. dr. U. Kilkelly
...
prof. mr. Jasper Krommendijk Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
prof. mr. J. Krommendijk
...
George Laryea-Adjea Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
G. Laryea-Adjei
...
prof. mr. dr. T. Liefaard Juridisch PAO Leiden
Speaker
prof. mr. dr. T. Liefaard
...
Speaker
L. Martinez Mora
...
dr. Mikiko Otani Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
dr. M. Otani
...
Karabo Ozah Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
K. Ozah
...
 dr. Eduardo Rezendo Melo Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
dr. E. Rezendo Melo
...
prof. Ann Skelton Juridisch PAO Leiden
Speaker
prof. dr. A. Skelton
...
prof. dr. Julia Sloth-Nielsen Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
prof. dr. J.J. Sloth-Nielsen
...
Velina Todorova Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
dr. V. Todorova
...
mr. Benoit Van Keirsbilck Leiden Law Academy
Speaker
mr. B. Van Keirsbilck
...
Academiegebouw

Rapenburg 67-73, 2311GJ LEIDEN


Regular Fee

€ 150,- (excl. VAT)

Student fee (including Phd candidates)

€ 50,- (excl. VAT) including lunches and receptions.
email events@law.leidenuniv.nl for a reduction code (students only)