Juvenile justice system in the Netherlands: Study visit for Belarusian judges

The purpose of this study visit is to familiarize a group of judges and court specialists from Belarus with the juvenile justice system in the Netherlands.

The five participants (three women and two men) will look at various national solutions to common challenges in the administration of juvenile justice and have the opportunity to strengthen their professional contacts. The participants will learn about specifics of child-friendly justice in the Netherlands as well as the importance of inter-governmental co-operation and referral mechanisms among institutions in delivering juvenile justice through the prism of rule of law and best interests of the child.

The study visit will include an overview of juvenile justice in the Netherlands, such as work of the Police and Bureau Halt Programme, court proceedings, alternatives and diversion, and the role of specialists working with children in contact with law. The study visit aims to support the Belarussian authorities to expand further such guarantees as child-friendly justice and access to court, facilitating in this way the respect of the right to a fair trial of Belarussian citizens.

The study visit is part of the rule of law component of the ODIHR project Promoting Democratization and Human Rights in Belarus funded by the European Union. It is the third in a series of three study visits on rule of law and other justice-related issues envisaged in the project.