The 8th World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights has been announced, with the event to be held in Singapore in 2020. The four-day conference will take place at the Raffles City Convention Centre from 19 to 22 July and will bring together organisations and individuals who have influence over legal and justice systems across the world.
The World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights is a result-oriented event that aims to effect positive change for women and children globally. The Congress exists to enhance, promote and protect the human rights of these groups, with a particular focus on those who are especially vulnerable and disadvantaged. Previous themes have included violence and the exploitation of children; social media; international families; changing family formations; gender identity dysphoria; children of war; trafficking; child labour; family violence and the voice of the child in family law proceedings.
Managing Partner Sally Nicholes is Deputy Chair of the World Congress Board and Nicholes Family Lawyers are deeply committed to furthering the Congress’ aims, providing ongoing support and assistance to the organisation through a number of channels. Since its first conference in Sydney in 1993, the World Congress has achieved:
- The promotion of laws creating offences for residents who abuse children overseas, operating extraterritorially and rendering these justiciable and punishable before Australian Courts. This model of legislation was enacted by Australian Parliament and has been echoed by many countries throughout the world.
- The creation of strong working relationships between delegates, such as that between Cambodia and the Australian Federal Police established at the last World Congress to combat Children in the sex tourism industry.
- The sponsorship and creation of the LawAsia Children’s Trust, used for a number of purposes including the support of Asian prosecutors of offences against children.
- The encouragement of self-regulation within multi-national corporations in the employment and treatment of children not only in their respective enterprises, but in enterprises supplying their manufacturing.
Of particular note is the platform the World Congress provides for relationship building. More than 600 delegates from 53 countries came together at the last World Congress in Dublin in 2017 to share best practice, provide insight and tackle global problems. There, partnerships, consultations and projects initiated at past World Congresses are re-visited and strengthened.
Those interested in attending the 8th World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights can register their interest here.
An official invitation and call for papers will follow shortly.
