New Cooperation Agreement Between the Ombudsperson for Children and Adolescents and the Istituto Degli Innocenti

The Italian Ombudsperson for Children and Adolescents and the Istituto degli Innocenti have renewed and strengthened their partnership through a new two-year Agreement that will support their joint work for the 2025-2027 period. The Agreement consolidates a partnership started in 2018 and confirms the Institute's role as a national point of reference in research, documentation and technical-scientific support activities on the rights of minors.

The Agreement provides for a structured programme of shared initiatives, aimed at supporting the institutional functions of the Ombudsperson and promoting a wider dissemination of the culture of children's and adolescents' rights.

Launch of Activities

The activities under the new Agreement have already begun this week, with an initial series of training sessions scheduled for Police Academies. These training sessions will address the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Adolescent, the role and functions of the Ombudsperson, and the contents of the handbook for law enforcement officers, in line with the shared commitment to strengthening the skills of professionals who work in contact with children and young people.

Planned Activities

Over the two-year period, the Istituto degli Innocenti will support the Ombudsperson in three areas:

1. Information, awareness-raising and training
   Implementation of training activities for professionals working in contact with minors -particularly students at the State Police training schools and Carabinieri marshal schools - with updated informational materials.
2. Promoting the participation of young people
   Support for the expansion and operation of the Council of the Adolescents. The programme includes monthly online meetings, two annual residential sessions, and drafting recommendations addressed to national and European institutions.
3. Thematic research, documentation and support for national and international work
   Collection and analysis of legislation, data, scientific literature, and good practices; support for the working groups of the Associations’ Council; and the production of reports and documents to support the Ombudsperson’s European and international activities.

A Shared Commitment to Strengthen Children's Rights

The new Agreement makes it possible to bring together complementary expertise and strengthen the information, training and participation resources needed to improve the exercise and protection of the rights of persons under age in Italy. This is a further step in the long-standing partnership between the Istituto degli Innocenti and the Ombudsperson, aimed at supporting policies that are increasingly informed, inclusive and focused on the well-being of children and adolescents.