Expert Working Group on Child Protection at ICMEC Headquarters (April 2012)

Child Protection Project

Child Protection Best Practices and Model Law

Strengthening legal frameworks through model law and global best practices

Together with The Protection Project, we work to strengthen legal frameworks for safeguarding children around the world.

Through the Child Protection Project, we seek to establish a common definition of what “child protection” means, taking into account the perspectives and experience of numerous nations. At the same time, we work to promote the study and practice of child protection law.

“Children are among our most vulnerable populations. The injustices many children suffer are unspeakable and occur in all corners of the globe, in all walks of life.” Introduction, 100 Best Practices in Child Protection

The term “child protection” is very broad and can encompass a wide range of issues. Custody and support, child abuse and neglect, violence against children, child prostitution, child pornography, sex tourism, child labor, and trafficking in children are just some of the issues that arise when discussing child protection. Civil society organizations and government agencies are actively working around the world to address many of these problems and to better provide broad protections for children.

After conducting extensive research into the global legal situation as it affected children, we developed a Child Protection Model Law and published our findings in Arabic, English, Farsi, Russian, and Spanish. The model law consists of articles based on international legal standards and best practices from more than 68 countries and 130 national laws. Topics range from sexual and economic exploitation to protecting children in the justice system.

Along with our partners at The Protection Project we also have compiled 100 Best Practices in Child Protection, a guide that offers examples of successful initiatives undertaken by civil society organizations, individuals, and government agencies around the world that are concerned with protecting children.