Child Rights Center - Caucasus University, Georgia

Overview

The Child Rights Center at Caucasus University (Georgia), operating within the framework of the Caucasus School of Law, was established in 2023 through a strategic memorandum and the invaluable partnership of UNICEF. The Center serves as a vital academic, research, and practical hub dedicated to advancing the protection of children's rights, fostering high-level scientific

research, and supporting the development of a child-friendly justice system both nationally and regionally.

Guided by Caucasus University’s Third Mission strategy, the Center acts as a bridge between international legal frameworks and domestic policy implementation. It achieves this by bringing together Georgian and international legal professionals—including judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and academics—to address systemic and contemporary challenges in child welfare.

Main Activities

1. Internationalization & Scientific Conferences

• Annual Multi-Disciplinary Conferences: Since 2023, the Center has established a prestigious tradition of hosting an annual international scientific conference every November 20th to mark International Children's Day.

• Global Best Practices: Titled "Child-Friendly Justice System and Children's Rights - Best European and American Practices," these conferences serve as a premier platform for sharing international models and standardizing child protection across criminal, civil, and administrative law.

• Expert Network: The Center regularly hosts prominent academic and professional experts from Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, and Ukraine to foster cross-border institutional cooperation.

• Academic Mobility & Global Training: As part of the Center's internationalization strategy, students and faculty engage in international academic, training, and exchange opportunities that promote global perspectives, cross-cultural collaboration, and professional growth, such as sending undergraduate students to attend the Leiden University Summer School on "Advancing Children’s Rights Globally: Accountability and Access to Justice" in the Netherlands.

2. Legal Policy & National Cooperation

• EU-UNICEF Joint Initiative: Launched on February 1, 2026, the Center is spearheading a major project funded by the European Union and implemented with UNICEF to develop comprehensive training materials and an advanced trainers' manual based on modern international standards.

• National Consultative Council: To identify and tackle real-world legal challenges, the Center established and leads a Consultative Council that integrates the academic, research, and practical expertise of Child Rights Centers from accredited universities across Georgia.

3. Student & Community Engagement

• Public Awareness: The Center actively designs interactive programs to raise public awareness and promote a child-centric approach within civil society.

• Future Lawyers Initiative: To cultivate youth engagement, the Center hosts academic quiz competitions such as "Future Lawyers for Children's Rights" for prospective law students, encouraging the next generation to specialize in the field.

Educational Programs

The Center has driven substantial curricular enhancements within the Bachelor's, Master's Degree and Research/PhD programs at the Caucasus School of Law to solidify the academic focus on juvenile justice:

Bachelor’s Level (Undergraduate)

• Children's Rights in International Law – Introduction to foundational legal frameworks.

• Children's Rights in Civil and Administrative Proceedings – Focusing on procedural guarantees and child welfare.

• Children's Rights in Criminal Law – Addressing the specific protections for minors within criminal systems.

• Juvenile Justice – Comprehensively updated with modernized syllabi, contemporary international literature, and refined interactive teaching methodologies.

Master’s Level (Post Graduate)

Restorative Justice – Substantially updated to incorporate advanced standards of alternative dispute resolution and minor rehabilitation.

Research/PhD

The doctoral student is conducting research under the supervision of Professor Levan Darbaidze.