Government approves national strategy for protecting children’s rights in the justice system until 2028: key objectives and tasks

On 14 July, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the National Strategy for Protecting Children’s Rights in the Justice System until 2028 and adopted an operational plan for its implementation in 2025–2028.

The document was developed by the Ministry of Justice in close collaboration with the Interagency Coordination Council on Juvenile Justice and with the participation of other state authorities and partners. The strategy aims to align the child justice system with international standards, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Council of Europe strategic documents, and recommendations from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The adoption of the new strategy is driven by the expiration of the previous National Strategy for Reforming the Child Justice System up to 2023, new challenges arising from the protection of children’s rights amid a full-scale war, and its critical importance in light of Ukraine’s commitment to European integration and the implementation of international standards for protecting children’s rights.

Key Strategic Objectives:

• Protection of children’s rights in armed conflict – including documenting and investigating war crimes against children and strengthening international cooperation to protect children who have left Ukraine.
• Criminal justice reform – introducing legal and procedural safeguards for children who are victims, witnesses, or in conflict with the law.
• Combating violence against children – enhancing interagency cooperation, providing socio-psychological support, and working with children in difficult life circumstances.
• Protecting children’s rights in civil proceedings – introducing mandatory specialisation for judges in family disputes and ensuring access to mediation services and psychological support for children.
• Safety in the digital environment – preventing online exploitation of children, improving digital literacy, and enhancing online safety.
• Preventing juvenile delinquency – implementing preventive programmes and expanding access to social services in communities.

The strategy will be implemented through an operational plan for 2025–2028. The plan includes legislative initiatives led by the Ministry of Justice, such as:

• Aligning criminal legislation with international humanitarian law and considering the interests of children affected by war.
• Introducing child-friendly justice at all stages of proceedings.
• Improving the system for collecting and recording data on children in contact with the justice system.
• Ensuring mandatory participation of a defender and a child’s representative from the earliest stages of proceedings.
• Regulating restorative procedures for minors in conflict with the law.

The Ministry of Justice will conduct annual monitoring of the implementation of measures, while the strategy’s impact will be evaluated with the involvement of all relevant central executive authorities.

The expected outcome is the establishment of an effective system for protecting children’s rights in the justice system, ensuring the best interests of every child, preventing re-traumatisation, and guaranteeing access to justice at all levels.

This decision is a significant step towards building a child-friendly justice system and reaffirms the state’s consistent policy on protecting children’s rights.