In 2019 the UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty denounced that more than seven million children worldwide are deprived of liberty every year. It provided an assessment of the situation in different contexts and set out clear recommendations for change. This roadmap is an inspiration for new laws, policies, and practices that can help States dramatically reduce the number of children behind bars and locked doors. Keeping the conversation going and monitoring the enactment of the recommendations is key to ensure that children worldwide are no longer deprived of their childhood.

This MOOC is a complement to a previous Global Campus course on the Global Study and aims at providing updated information on situations, challenges and possible solutions as they are being envisaged in each region of the world. Hearing from experts, researchers, and children themselves, participants will learn about steps being taken in terms of deinstitutionalisation, diversion, ending migration-related detention and other measures.

Course Outline

The course is articulated in 2 modules:

• Module 1 is an introduction to the UN Global Study as a framework for action. Specific attention will be paid here to the Study’s recommendations and the developing follow-up initiatives which are being enacted in cooperation with different stakeholders, from UN agencies to governments, from civil society to academia.
• Module 2 is dedicated to regional perspectives and a variety of recent initiatives, examples and practices that are being implemented there. In so doing, the course specifically analyses the most relevant issues and themes in each region: from immigration detention to deinstitutionalisation, from deprivation of liberty for national security reasons, to diversion measures.

Lecturers and Experts

Drawing extensively from recent debates organised by the UN Global Study Team with high-level stakeholders as well as experts, lecturers and students of the 7 Regional Master’s Programmes of the GC, the MOOC offers a wealth of specialised knowledge and examples, enabling participants to benefit from rich and varied competences. Course materials include testimonies from the following lecturers and experts (read bios here), among others:

Manfred Nowak

SG Global Campus of Human Rights UN Global Study Independent Expert

Najat Maalla M´Jid

UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children

Felipe Gonzalez Morales

UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants

Grace C. Agcaoili

Regional Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office

Benoit Van Keirsbilck

Defence for Children International-Belgium

Karabo Ozah

Children's Rights Lawyer

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course participants will have acquired:

• Understanding of the process behind the UN Global Study
• Knowledge about international standards for the protection of the human rights of children deprived of liberty
• Awareness of data, reasons and root-causes in the area of deprivation of liberty for children
• Information on some contextual situations, examples, and practices from different regions of the world
• Understanding of challenges and limitations in the current systems
• The ability to identify some legal, political and social strategies to safeguard the human rights of children deprived of liberty
• Knowledge of recommendations to bring about change and improvements

F.A.Q.s

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Enrolment

How do I enrol in the course?

You can start the enrolment process by clicking the "enrol" button.

Is there a selection procedure to participate in the course?

The course is a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), which means we do not select participants on any basis. Rather, we welcome anyone who is interested in learning more about the topic to enrol and participate for free.

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Fees

I would like to know if the course is free or if some parts are to be paid

Our course is a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), which means all components are open and totally free for anyone.

Do I need to pay any fee to attend the course?

There are no registration or tuition fees. The certificate of participation is also free and offered to all those who successfully complete all the course requirements (see below for details on the certificate).

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Accessibility

Is the course accessible to persons with disabilities?

We want all participants in our courses to enjoy a great learning experience and we strive to always improve accessibility. Each week of the course includes one or two video lectures with accompanying transcripts and reading materials. The texts are in PDF format, work at low bandwidths, are printable and can be zoomed to the desired size. Some readings may include pages from accessible websites. This makes all of them accessible to those who use assistive technology software such as screen readers. Likewise, weekly discussions and module quizzes can be completed through our platform which is accessible, for example, to people who use speech input, keyboard accessible controls or text to speech tools. For more details please visit EdX Website Accessibility Policy.

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Structure and content

Is there a schedule for the course or is it self-directed?

The course is self-paced so participants can study in their own time.

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Certificate of completion

What does it mean “Audit-only”? Will I get a certificate?

Auditors can complete any or all the parts of the course at their own pace, but will not receive a certificate. Participants who want proof of completion can simply print the progress chart that they will find in their course page.

I am not interested in a certificate. Can I still audit the course?

Yes. All our courses can be audited for free. If you audit a course, you can participate in any or all activities and quizzes and complete them, but you will not receive a certificate. Do you still want some proof of participation? You can simply print the progress chart that you will find in your course page.