BICE fights for restorative justice
BICE has worked in DRC since 1996, directly for 15 years, and currently in partnership with the BNCE DRC, to promote a environment that is respectful of children’s rights and towards an effective juvenile justice system.
In 2005, knowledge of children’s rights was reinforced among state actors through the dissemination of a handbook of protocols, which presented the law applicable to child soldiers and victims of conflict as well as a set of good practices.
The “Childhood Without Bars” programme consists of the following actions:
- the acquisition of expertise on juvenile justice by civil society, government, media, children and their families,
- operation of the country’s only centre offering an alternative to imprisonment for convicted children
- training and national advocacy on juvenile justice.
Activities
- Awareness-raising and training of partners involved in the justice system
- Advocacy to support alternative measures to imprisonment and better support for children in conflict with the law
- Legal assistance for children
- Support for community-based organizations (Local Protection Committee)
- Support for children in prisons and centres
Key figures per year
- 1000 adolescents in conflict with the law
- 4,000 members of the family circle of minors (parents, guardians, communities …)
- 180 people involved in the juvenile justice system (judges, staff, police …)
- 1000 social workers of closed centres
- 50 members of the media informed about juvenile justice (radio, TV, newspapers …)
