ICAM marks 35 Years of Children’s Rights with Advocacy initiatives

To mark the 35th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Madrid Bar Association (ICAM) has launched an ambitious series of free workshops and events, organized by its Childhood and Adolescence Section. Led by co-presidents Ana Caballero and María Giráldez, the program, which began yesterday, aims to deepen understanding of children’s rights and highlight the need for robust protections in today’s complex landscape.

Isabel Winkels, Vice Dean of ICAM, inaugurated the event, emphasizing the association’s strong commitment to advocating for children’s rights. “With this initiative, ICAM not only commemorates the milestone of the 1989 Convention but also brings together experts and professionals for practical workshops and talks, aimed at increasing legal awareness around children’s rights,” Winkels noted.

Beyond raising awareness and training participants, the association intends to use this series as a platform to spotlight critical legislative proposals that it has consistently championed to strengthen protections for children and adolescents. One of the key initiatives is the call for specialized juvenile courts, which the association considers essential to ensure child-sensitive and adapted judicial processes.

María Giráldez and Ana Caballero also underscored the impact of these workshops on professional training and public awareness. “We’re at a pivotal moment for child and adolescent rights, both nationally and globally. This is an opportunity to bolster protections with the support of interdisciplinary groups,” stated Giráldez. Caballero added, “Children’s issues intersect with many areas, so we’ve collaborated with leaders from various ICAM sections to maximize impact.”

Through this initiative, the association hopes to advance legislative changes that respond to the growing needs for child protection. By engaging legal experts, judges, and legislators, the association aims to build consensus for structural reforms, including the creation of specialized courts and the adoption of tailored legal procedures, setting a foundation for a more secure and just future for children.