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Raising awareness about children's rights in an innovative way: ADEM mandates MIDE students.

The Alliance for the Rights of Migrant Children (ADEM) gave students enrolled in the Master in Children's Rights (MIDE) at the University of Geneva the opportunity to take part in an academic research project examining the ways in which unaccompanied minors access information in Switzerland. Students highlighted the difficulties unaccompanied minors face when accessing information and made recommendations to remedy this situation. These recommendations will enable ADEM to adapt its advocacy and communications strategies on the basis of detailed research in the field of children’s rights.

Every year, the University of Geneva’s Centre for Children's Rights Studies (CIDE) runs a month-long programme bringing together researchers and professionals in partnership with organisations involved in defending and supporting children’s rights. For students, the projects in this programme are an opportunity to work with field professionals, enabling them to develop practical skills and use their academic knowledge for society’s benefit.

This year, ADEM, through the work of the International Social Service (ISS) and Terre des hommes – Helping children worldwide (Tdh), gave MIDE students the opportunity to take part in an innovative project on unaccompanied minors’ right to information. One of the project’s main goals was to suggest ways of improving how young migrants accessed and used ADEM’s website (http://www.enfants-migrants.ch/en/an_information_and_exchange_platform). Some students examined the content of various pages while others worked on the site’s visuals and performance. Prior to making recommendations, they carried out research to ensure they had the necessary knowledge and understanding. They completed literature reviews and mapping studies, and met with experts and unaccompanied minors. Some groups were also able to take part in a radio broadcast, advanced advocacy exercises and a project evaluation initiative by focusing on its innovative educational characteristics.

After the intense one-month programme, students, ADEM professionals and CIDE teaching staff gathered at the Pôle Sud socio-cultural centre in Lausanne for the recording of a radio broadcast discussing the project’s goals and results. Thanks to these students’ determination, ADEM has identified practical and targeted ways of improving its website, and obtained data to adapt its strategy and operations. ADEM will now implement these recommendations, ensuring its platform meets the needs of young people.

Listen to the radio broadcast (in French) by MCR students in coordination with Radio Django.