Francophone mediators and ombudsmen launch platform delivering online courses in children’s rights

In July 2021, the Association des Ombudsmans et Médiateurs de la Francophonie (AOMF, Association of Mediators and Ombudsmen of La Francophonie) launched its first online training platform (https://www.clom-aomf.org/) focusing on the rights of the child. The platform is aimed at both mediation bodies and the general public.

The metacourse was developed with support from the International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF) and the involvement of 42 contributors, including Francophone ombudsmen with responsibility for protecting children, as well as members of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children, UNICEF, the Council of Europe, NGOs, experts, teachers and young people from French-speaking countries. Also known as CLOM, it aims to offer practical guidance on children’s rights, on the basis that while everyone is familiar with these rights, their practical aspect and real implications on the ground are often overlooked or poorly understood.

The High Commissioner for the Protection of Rights took part in a webinar with various CLOM participants on 2 December, which provided an update, six months after launch, on the content of the online courses and how they are being used. The Monegasque Commissioner followed the discussions with great interest, as the important role of mediators and ombudsmen in ensuring respect for children’s rights – whether or not they have a specific remit to do so – was highlighted.

Already, networks such as the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC), which brings together those protecting children’s rights at the European level, facilitate the sharing of best practice between specialist independent institutions.

For its part, the AOMF has previously adopted several declarations, including most recently the Rabat Declaration of 24 October 2019 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the international Convention on the Rights of the Child, which called on members to step up their efforts to protect and promote the rights and interests of children, and on States to build their capacities in this area.

Thanks to the CLOM, which is unique to the AOMF network, the contribution of Francophone mediators and ombudsmen to promoting children’s rights is demonstrated in the fun, dynamic French-language educational content designed for use by professionals, as part of their initial or ongoing training, and by children themselves, so that they can take ownership of their rights.