On 3–4 February 2026, Laura and I travelled to Lisbon, Portugal, to attend the kick-off meeting of the JUST LISTEN – Justice Professionals Listening to and Engaging Safely with Traumatized and Exploited Children, a project co-funded by the European Union under the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).
Hosted by NOVA School of Law, the two-day meeting marked the beginning of a shared commitment: embedding a child rights-based approach into national judicial systems to ensure that children are not only heard but can participate meaningfully and safely in legal proceedings.
Purpose of the Project
A 2020 UNICEF report estimated that one in eight children globally have experienced sexual abuse or exploitation. In Europe, it is estimated that one in five children are victims of some form of sexual violence. The true scale of abuse is likely even higher, as these crimes remain significantly underreported.
Beyond the profound and long-term impact of sexual abuse on children’s lives, those who come into contact with the justice system often face processes that can feel intimidating, complex and, at times, re-traumatizing. While progress has been made toward more child-friendly justice systems, important gaps remain in ensuring that children are heard safely, respectfully and meaningfully.
JUST LISTEN was designed in response to this reality. The project brings together judicial authorities, academia, child protection actors and international networks to develop trauma-informed approaches and practical tools that support justice professionals in engaging with children in ways that uphold their rights, dignity and well-being.
A Strong and Diverse Partnership
The kick-off meeting was strongly attended, both in person and online, by partners representing a wide range of expertise across justice, psychology, academia and child protection.
Partners include:
- Universidade Nova de Lisboa
- Associacao Godinhela – Investigacao e Desenvolvimento (AGID – Godinhela Association for Research and Development)
- Ordem dos Advogados (Portuguese Bar Association)
- Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses (Portuguese Psychologists’ Association)
- Universidad de Salamanca (University of Salamanca)
- Leiden University
- Hope for Children Policy Center, Cyprus
- Child Helpline International
Together, the consortium reflects an important combination of judicial leadership, research expertise and child rights practice.
Looking Ahead
The coming months will focus on laying the foundation for the project’s work, including the development of practical methodologies and the design of an immersive learning component to strengthen justice professionals’ capacity to engage effectively and sensitively with traumatised children.
The Lisbon meeting marked more than the launch of a project. It signalled the start of a collaborative effort to strengthen child-centred justice systems across Europe, ensuring children’s right to be heard and to actively participate in judicial proceedings, particularly when they are victims of sexual abuse and exploitation.
Stay tuned for more updates in the near future.
Alessandra Bertone
Project & Communications Coordinator
Laura Holliday
Learning Manager
