The International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates : Who or what is it?
The International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates (IAYFJM) is an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) with consultative status at the United Nations. It was founded in 1928 and
registered in Brussels, Belgium. It represents world-wide efforts to deal with the protection of youth and family and with the criminal behaviour and maladjustment of youth. Its membership is
comprised of national associations and committed individuals from all parts of the globe, who exercise functions as youth and family court judges or functions within professional services directly
linked to youth and family justice or welfare.
For many years the IAYFJM has been active in the “Council of International Organisations Directly Interested in Children and Youth.” Members have been appointed by both the United Nations
and the Council of Europe as ‘leading experts’ and have contributed to the drafting of international conventions relating to the rights, interests and welfare of children and young people
including, for example, the preliminary draft for the “European Convention for the Protection of the Rights of the Child” and the draft for the “Minimum Standard Rules for the
Administration of Juvenile Justice” (More commonly called the “Beijing Rules”).
The Objectives Of The IAYFJM are :
1. To establish links between judges, magistrates and specialists all over the world who are attached to a judicial authority of whatever nature which is concerned with the protection of youth or
with the family.
2. To study, at international level, all problems raised by the functioning of judicial authorities and organisations for the protection of youth and the family; to ensure the continuance of the
national and international principles governing those authorities and to make them more widely known.
3. To examine legislation designed for the protection of youth and the family and the various systems existing for the protection of the youth at risk with a view to improving such systems both
nationally and internationally.
4. To promote the awareness and application of children’s rights.
5. To assist collaboration between nations and competent authorities with regard to foreign minors and their family.
6. To encourage research into the causes of the criminal behaviour or maladjustment of youth, to combat their effects and to seek a permanent prevention and rehabilitation programme; to concern
itself with the moral and material improvement of youth’s destiny and, in particular, with the future of children and young people at risk.
7. To collaborate with international associations concerned with the protection of youth and with the family.
Activities Of The IAYFJM
The Association
- holds an International Congress once every four years;
- holds regional seminars in various parts of the world — generally two per year;
- works with international organisations and NGOs — e.g. ECOSOC, UNICEF, ILO;
- has been involved in the drafting of legislation affecting children at both UN level and Council of Europe.
The day-to-day administration of the Association is in the hands of an Executive of five members, namely the President, Vice-President, Secretary General, Asst. Secretary General and Treasurer. The
Executive meets at least twice per year.
The Association is administered by a Council consisting of 20 elected members plus the immediate past President. The Council meets at least once per year. The General Committee, composed of the
Executive and Council together with honorary members and representatives from every National association, generally meets once every two years.
The International Congresses
The international congresses constitute the focal point of the Association's work. The congresses assemble personnel from all over the world active in the protection of youth or the family to
consider issues which fall within the realm of Family Courts or Youth Courts. The themes of these congresses not only reflect the entire spectrum of professional problems but also current social and
political developments and their impact on youth and family protection and justice. The congresses are held every four years with every effort being made to distribute them around the world. The most
recent Congresses have been held in Oxford (England, 1974), Montreal (Canada, 1978), Amsterdam (Holland, 1982), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil, 1986), Turin (Italy, 1990), Bremen (Germany, 1994) and, most
recently, Buenos Aires (Argentina, 1998). The next international congress is scheduled for Melbourne, Australia, in 2002.
The Chronicle : The Voice Of The Association.
The Chronicle is the voice of the Association. It is published bi-annually in the three official languages of the Association — English, French and Spanish. The aim of the Editorial Board has
been to develop the Chronicle into a forum of debate amongst those concerned with child and family issues, in the area of civil law concerning children and families, throughout the world.
The IDE : International Institute For The Rights Of The Child
The IDE was founded in 1995 in the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). It was born out of the necessity to inform and train those concerned in the CRC.
The IDE aims to:
- spread knowledge of the relevant international instruments;
- assist those responsible for their implementation to understand their practical meaning;
- raise awareness of the question of children’s rights among those who deal with problems concerning the protection of minors;
- inspire national legislators for the purpose of all laws affecting youth;
- create a “culture” or state of mind oriented towards the rights of the child.
This institute (IDE) is based in The University Institute Kurt Bösch (IKB) in Sion, Switzerland, and holds a major international conference there each October. It has also formed partnerships with
groups in North Africa and in South America to promote children’s rights.
The Veillard-Cybulski Fund Association
The Veillard-Cybulski Fund Association aims to reward deserving works, particularly those which make a new contribution towards perfecting methods of treatment for children and adolescents in
difficulties and their families.
The award is made every four years, on the occasion of the quadrennial Congress of the IAYFJM. The next award will be made at the Congress in 2002 in Melbourne. The prize-winner receives an award of
10,000 (ten thousand) Swiss Francs.
Research
An important aspect of the IAYFJM’s work is research into issues concerning children and families. The Association is keen to develop the research aspect of its work and would welcome
suggestions for research projects from individual members and/or National Associations. The Association has amongst its membership experts in all aspects of law, both national and international,
concerning children and families. Experts can be brought together on an ad hoc basis according to the needs of any particular project.
Dr Willie McCarney, Vice-President
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