Are We Listening to Children? Children's Rights Beyond the Headlines

Recent reports of alleged sexual abuse in after-school programmes in Paris, together with a demonstration in Luxembourg calling for stronger protection of children, prompted me to reflect on a simple but fundamental question: are we really listening to children?

Growing up in Ukraine, I often had the impression that children were expected to listen rather than to be listened to. Of course, this was not true in every family, school or situation, and many adults genuinely cared about children's wellbeing. Nevertheless, it was common for a child's concerns to be dismissed as exaggeration, imagination or a misunderstanding, while an adult's version of events was usually accepted without question. Difficult topics were often avoided altogether, with the hope that silence would somehow make the problem disappear.

Only years later do some of those stories emerge. Adults speak publicly about abuse they experienced as children, classmates recall warning signs that no one recognised, and families admit that changes in a child's behaviour were explained away instead of being investigated. Not every difficult childhood hides a serious crime, of course, but too many tragic cases have shown what can happen when children are afraid to speak or when they do speak but are not believed.

Becoming a parent has changed the way I think about these issues. Today, my two sons attend school in Luxembourg, where I was pleasantly surprised to discover something that might seem very simple but carries an important message. The school has dedicated boxes where children can leave written messages if they wish to share a concern, report a problem or simply express something they may not feel comfortable saying aloud.

A small box cannot prevent abuse on its own, nor can it replace attentive parents, teachers or social workers. Yet it symbolises something much bigger: children are encouraged to speak, and the adults around them acknowledge that their voices matter.

Children Have Rights, Not Just Needs

When discussing children's rights, many people immediately think of access to education, healthcare or protection from violence. Yet the international framework goes much further. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), adopted in 1989 and ratified by Luxembourg in 1993, recognises children not only as individuals in need of care but also as holders of their own rights. The Convention sets out several fundamental principles, including every child's right to:

- be protected from all forms of violence, abuse and neglect;

- receive an education and enjoy the highest attainable standard of health and an adequate standard of living;

- be heard and express their views freely in all matters affecting them, with those views given due weight according to the child's age and maturity.

These are not simply aspirations. They are legally recognised rights that form part of the international framework Luxembourg has committed to uphold.

The right to be heard, set out in Article 12 of the Convention, is often described by UNICEF and child-rights organisations as one of the treaty's most significant provisions because it recognises children as active participants in decisions that affect their lives rather than passive recipients of adult decisions.

The right to be heard does not mean that a child should always make the final decision, nor does it diminish the responsibilities of parents, teachers or public authorities. Rather, it establishes that children's opinions should be taken seriously and considered appropriately, especially in situations involving their safety, wellbeing or future.

Why This Conversation Matters Now

The question of whether children are genuinely heard has received renewed attention in recent weeks, both internationally and in Luxembourg.

In France, prosecutors are investigating allegations of sexual abuse involving staff at several after-school programmes in Paris. While the investigations are ongoing and the full facts have yet to be established, the cases have once again raised difficult questions about whether warning signs were recognised early enough and whether children felt able to speak up.

The discussion has also reached Luxembourg. In July, Amnesty International Luxembourg, Innocence en Danger Luxembourg and La Voix des Survivant(e)s organised a demonstration calling for reforms to strengthen the protection of children and improve the way allegations of violence and abuse are handled by the authorities.

The organisers pointed to figures previously cited by Justice Minister Elisabeth Margue and Minister for Home Affairs Léon Gloden, according to which two cases of indecent assault are reported every week in Luxembourg, a complaint of rape involving a minor is filed on average every eight days, and 493 cases of assault and battery were recorded in 2023. They argued that these figures highlight the importance of ensuring children are listened to and adequately protected throughout judicial and administrative proceedings.

Whether or not one agrees with every criticism voiced by the participating organisations, the demonstration reflected a broader concern that extends well beyond any individual case: how can societies ensure that children who report violence, abuse or neglect are heard, taken seriously and protected?

Children's Rights Extend Beyond One Issue

Recent headlines have focused on child protection, but research published by international organisations suggests that ensuring children's rights extends far beyond responding to individual cases of abuse.

According to the World Health Organization's "Mental Health of Adolescents" fact sheet (updated in September 2025), one in seven young people aged ten to nineteen worldwide lives with a mental health condition, yet many cases remain unrecognised and untreated. Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability in this age group. 

The digital environment presents another growing challenge. The WHO/Europe Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, published in 2024 and based on data from 44 countries and regions, found that one in six school-aged children has experienced cyberbullying, with online bullying becoming more common than in previous survey rounds. 

Violence between children also remains widespread. In its 2026 Youth Violence fact sheet, the World Health Organization estimates that around one in four children and adolescents globally are exposed to bullying, while sexual abuse is reported by one in five girls and one in seven boys. 

These studies examine different issues, but they point towards the same conclusion: protecting children is not only about responding after harm has occurred. It also means ensuring that children feel safe enough to speak, confident that adults will listen and act when they do.

How Is Luxembourg Responding?

Luxembourg has also made children's rights an increasingly prominent public policy priority. Alongside the work of UNICEF Luxembourg and the Ombudsman fir Kanner a Jugendlecher (OKAJU), the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth has expanded research and awareness initiatives addressing children's wellbeing, participation and safety.

UNICEF Luxembourg's 2025 Annual Report notes that one in four children in Luxembourg remains at risk of poverty or social exclusion, prompting the organisation to publish a dedicated national study and policy recommendations. The report also highlights work on improving children's access to justice and the continuation of its #NetEleng campaign promoting young people's mental health. 

Children's safety at school remains another area of attention. In 2025, the National Observatory for Children, Young People and School Quality (Observatoire national de l'enfance, de la jeunesse et de la qualité scolaire, OEJQS) published a series of factsheets on cyberbullying which found that one in two young people surveyed considers cyberbullying to be common or very common, while one in three reported having personally experienced it. 

Similar priorities are reflected in the 2025 Annual Report of OKAJU, on participation in justice, mental health, digital safety, violence, poverty and the importance of ensuring that children's views are genuinely taken into account when decisions affecting them are made.

Beyond national policies, these topics also appear regularly in everyday community life. As parents, we periodically receive invitations from our municipality and our children's school to lectures, workshops and information evenings on subjects such as child development, bullying, digital safety and parenting.

A Shared International Challenge

The question of how to protect children while ensuring they are genuinely heard is not unique to Luxembourg. Across Europe and beyond, governments have introduced different approaches aimed at making child protection and justice systems more responsive to children's needs.

One of the best-known examples is the Barnahus ("Children's House") model, first developed in Iceland and subsequently introduced in a growing number of European countries with the support of the Council of Europe. Rather than requiring children who may have experienced abuse to repeat their testimony to multiple institutions, Barnahus brings together police, prosecutors, psychologists, doctors and social workers in a child-friendly environment, with the aim of reducing additional trauma during investigations.

Another example is the role of independent Children's Commissioners and ombudspersons, found in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Nordic countries and elsewhere in Europe. While their mandates differ, these offices generally monitor children's rights, advise governments and ensure that children's views are represented in public policy.

International organisations have also increasingly promoted child-friendly justice. The Council of Europe's Guidelines on Child-friendly Justice, adopted in 2010, recommend that children involved in judicial proceedings should receive information they can understand, be treated with dignity and have genuine opportunities to express their views throughout the process.

Some countries have also introduced or strengthened mandatory reporting obligations requiring certain professionals, such as teachers, healthcare workers or social workers, to report suspected child abuse. Although the legal frameworks differ from country to country, the underlying objective is similar: reducing the risk that signs of abuse go unnoticed.

Although these approaches differ, they reflect a common understanding that protecting children requires more than legislation alone. It also depends on institutions that children trust, professionals who know how to respond and procedures designed with children's needs in mind.

I cannot claim that I always notice every detail or respond perfectly. Like many parents, I am often balancing work, household responsibilities and worries of my own. But I try to remind myself that what seems like a small comment to an adult may be important to a child. Listening begins with creating enough space for that comment not to be lost.