For street children, justice systems are often places of exclusion rather than protection. Many face arrest without due process, are denied legal representation, or lack the basic documentation needed to be recognised before the law. Access to justice, in this context, is not only about courts—it is about being seen, heard, and treated as a child with rights.
This year’s International Day for Street Children comes at a critical moment. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child is developing General Comment No. 27 on children’s right to access to justice and to an effective remedy—a significant step towards clarifying what states must do to ensure all children, including those in street situations, can claim their rights. Across our global network, partners are already working to turn these principles into practice—supporting children to understand and claim their rights, and advocating for systems that protect rather than punish.
In this context, we are honoured to share insights from the Chair of the Committee, Prof. Dr. Sophie Kiladze, reflecting on why access to justice matters and what must change to make it a reality for every child.
Prof. Dr. Sophie Kiladze is Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Prior to joining the UN CRC in 2021, she was elected Member of Parliament of Georgia, a Chair of Human Rights Committee as well as the Chair of the Child Rights Council. She is an author of comprehensive reforms in the field of child rights and social work in Georgia. She served as a Vice-Rector of the Police Academy. Since 2023 she is a member of the Council of Europe ECRI.
Prof. Kiladze has an extensive academic experience, including the work at Max-Planck Institute for Public International Law in Heidelberg; teaching Public International Law, Constitutional Law and Child Rights Law at different universities, publishing books and articles. She is a graduate of the Law Faculty of the University of Heidelberg (Staatsexamen), Germany, holds PhD degree and is the Professor at Grigol Robakidze University.
1. Is there a moment in your work with children that has particularly shaped how you think about justice?
Several years ago, I stepped out of a taxi in a foreign country when a young girl living and working on the street approached me and asked for money. I gave her money and tried to express warmth through a simple gesture. I did not speak her language.
What happened next stayed with me. She looked at me in a way I will never forget—it was as if she was searching for something beyond material help. Then she hugged me, and she did not want to let go. She called out to another girl in her language, who came running over and also embraced me.
In that moment, I understood something deeply: for these children, warmth and human connection matter more than money. What they both were seeking was not only survival, but recognition, care, and a sense of being valued. I thought how unfair the world is with them and can imagine how much hate and disrespect they are exposed to from perhaps their own families, people around, state officials and even their peers. Justice in broader sense for me is to ensure that all the rights of all children worldwide are realized.
2. Children in street situations often face stigma, discrimination, and criminalisation. How will General Comment No. 27 help tackle these justice barriers?
General Comment No. 27 represents an important step forward and provides authoritative guidance from the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Although it is not legally binding on states, it offers a strong and well-grounded interpretation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, particularly regarding access to justice and effective remedies.
The focus of General Comment No. 27 is to ensure that all children, including those in street situations, are recognized as rights-holders with full entitlement to access justice. A central commitment is to protect these children from criminalization. Children do not choose to live or work on the streets; rather, responsibility lies with the state, families, and society as a whole. The failure to take necessary measures has deprived these children of the full realization of their rights.
Although the General Comment has not yet been adopted, there is strong confidence that the Committee will provide clear guidance to states and other relevant stakeholders on how to protect children from stigma, discrimination, and criminalization through concrete and practical measures.
3. From your experience, what gives you hope when you look at countries that have made real progress in ensuring access to justice for marginalised children? How has collaboration with civil society contributed to that progress?
What gives me hope is seeing that change is possible and already happening. In several countries, we have seen reforms that decriminalize survival behaviors, expand access to legal aid, and introduce child-friendly justice procedures. These changes show that when there is political will, systems evolve.
A common factor in this progress is strong collaboration with civil society. Organizations working directly with children in street situations bring essential knowledge and protection on the ground for the most vulnerable. They help bridge the gap between institutions and children.
Civil society’s role is crucial also in amplifying children’s voices. When children themselves are involved in shaping policies and reforms, the outcomes are more effective, more inclusive, and more just. This partnership between governments, civil society, and children, is one of the most powerful drivers of meaningful change.
4. If you could share one message directly with children in street situations around the world for IDSC, what would it be?
My message is simple: you matter, and your voice matters.
No matter where you are or what you are facing, you have rights that must be respected. You are important, not just only for your own life, but for shaping a more just world.
There are people who are working alongside you and for you. Keep speaking, keep sharing, and know that your strength and resilience inspire change every day.
5. With the International Day for Street Children approaching, what call to action would you like to share with governments to advance child-centred justice and effective remedies for children in street situations?
As the International Day for Street Children approaches, my call to governments is clear: move from commitment to action.
This amongst others means:
- End the criminalisation of children in street situations
- Ensure universal access to birth registration and legal identity
- Invest in child-centred, accessible justice systems
- Train police, judges, social workers and psychologists to work with children in a rights-based and respectful way
- Work with parents and other caregivers
- Support and partner with civil society organizations
- Most importantly, listening to children and involving them in decisions that affect their lives
Justice cannot be meaningful if it excludes the most marginalized. Governments have both the responsibility and the opportunity to build systems that protect and empower every child.
Now is the time to act—with urgency, with compassion, and with accountability.