Children's rights
Children and young people have comprehensive rights and special protection needs. They must know their rights and be able to have a say in their concerns and be heard. Children and young people with disabilities or from a refugee or migrant background are particularly vulnerable. The increase in mental health problems is worrying. It is crucial that the rights of children and young people are recognized, promoted and protected.
In 2024, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child assessed the situation of children's rights in Liechtenstein for the first time in 17 years. It essentially pointed out the problems reported to the Committee by the OSKJ and the UN Children's Fund UNICEF: mental health, the lack of a voice in society and the legal system, bullying, domestic violence and divorce or custody conflicts. Social framework conditions such as family-friendly working models and childcare outside the home were also addressed by the committee - all issues that the OSKJ has been pursuing for years.
The municipalities are key players in the protection and promotion of children's rights, as this is where children and young people live and develop. This is the aim of the "child-friendly municipality" label, which the UN Children's Fund UNICEF awards to Swiss and Liechtenstein municipalities. To achieve this, the municipalities must undergo a comprehensive assessment: for example, safe play and contact areas, opportunities for participation and child-friendly services are analyzed. An assessment is also made of how the municipalities are developing the rights of children and young people. The OSKJ is a member of the UNICEF expert commission and helps to assess the Liechtenstein municipalities. In 2024, the municipalities of Vaduz and Triesen were named "child-friendly municipalities" for the first time. Eschen - a "child-friendly municipality" since 2018 - was certified again. Congratulations to these three municipalities and to the other three municipalities that have already been awarded the label - Ruggell, Mauren and Schaan - for their child-friendly efforts!
All children have the right to be heard and to participate in accordance with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This also applies to court proceedings, e.g. in the case of divorce or custody conflicts. In court proceedings, children and young people are often overwhelmed and frightened. They do not feel that they are taken seriously and often do not find optimal conditions for expressing their opinions freely. The creation of a child-friendly justice system is therefore the vision of the OSKJ for the coming years. This requires child- and youth-friendly conditions at all procedural levels to ensure that children and young people are heard in legal proceedings and that their rights are protected. They should feel safe, be provided with age-appropriate information and receive support. In the reporting year, information on the topic was collected, preparations were made for a project study and cooperation partnerships were sought.
As every year, the OSKJ used International Children's Rights Day on 20 November to raise awareness of children's rights, network and amplify voices for children's rights. One highlight was the meeting between young people and the "Youth Minister" Manuel Frick on the right to respect for the opinions of children and young people. During the exchange of experiences, the young people and the minister discussed their experiences with racist slogans, for example. They agreed that this violates human rights and that civil courage and the support of adults are needed to stand up to it effectively.
The two-year children's lobby campaign "Zemma Handla" came to an end in 2024. Together with various partner organizations, children and young people addressed their right to a clean and safe environment in a variety of ways, increased their knowledge and raised awareness in their environment and society.
