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Third training for civil society organizations participating in the preparation of shadow reports on children’s rights In the period from September 29th to October 2nd, 2009, in Hotel Alpina in Mavrovo, organized was the third training in the area of children's rights and monitoring of children's rights entitled

Preparation of the shadow reports on children’s rights, with special focus on the Optional Protocols, targeting civil society organizations that are part of the National Coalition of civil society organizations for protection of children’s rights and that participate in the preparation of the Shadow Report towards the Convention on Children’s Rights of the UN.

22 participants from 17 civil society organizations and 2 coalitions attended the training, including: the Center for Civic Initiatives-Prilep, Porta - Strumica, Council for Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency - Kavadarci, HU Mother from Kumanovo, Phurt – Delcevo, Open the windows - Skopje, La Strada - Skopje, Association for Democratic Initiative - Gostivar, Youth Education Forum - Skopje, Shelter Center - Skopje, Polioplus – Skopje, Mesechina - Debar, Antiko-Kicevo, Association for Health Education and Research Hera - Skopje Life Start - Bitola, Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution - Skopje Loja - Tetovo, Coalition Macedonia without Discrimination, Coalition All for Fair Trials and the First Children's Embassy in the World Megjashi - Skopje.

Professor Nevena Vuckovic Sahovic, PhD was the key trainer for this training, member of the Committee on Children’s Rights in Geneva from 2003 to 2009, which was invited by UNICEF, as an expert on children’s rights.

The training included series of interactive workshops, during which participants through personal experiences and practical exercises adopted basic knowledge about the process of preparation of shadow reports, with special focus on the Optional Protocols and agreed on the methodology of reporting on the state of children's rights in Macedonia.

The following topics were covered: Introductory remarks on human rights and children’s rights; Contractual bodies of the United Nations - monitoring; Convention on Children’s Rights and oversight over the exercise of rights; Reports and reporting, how the state should present the report, How to analyze the state report; General information on the optional protocols and the work of the Committee for oversight over the implementation; Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Children’s Rights on involvement of children in armed action; Discussion of representatives of the coalition with the Committee; Optional Protocol to the Convention on Children’s Rights on children’s trafficking, child prostitution and child pornography.

During the last day, presented were the draft alternative reports of the Macedonian National Coalition of nongovernmental organizations for protection of children’s rights and agreement was made on further course of work in the process of preparation of alternative reports.

Continuous training is part of the activities of the project Building a culture of children's participation, financially supported by the European Commission as part of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights - (EIDHR), a co-funded by UNICEF.

This training is part of the continuous activities of the project Building a culture of children's participation, financially supported by the European Commission as part of the program for European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights - (EIDHR), and co-funded by UNICEF.