Launch Meeting of the European Project “JUST-LISTEN”
On February 3rd and 4th, the launch of the JUST-LISTEN Project: «Justice Professionals Listening to and Engaging Safely with Traumatised and Exploited Children» [1] took place at NOVA School of Law, NOVA University Lisbon. This is a two-year innovative European project, recently selected and funded by the European Commission through a Lump Sum Grant, under the CERV-2025-CHILD programme, which aims to strengthen how the justice system listens to, protects and engages with child victims of sexual abuse.
The project is coordinated by NOVA School of Law and developed through a national and international consortium that includes universities, professional bodies, public authorities and civil society organisations from several EU Member States.
The consortium brings together the Portuguese Public Prosecutor’s Office, ISCTE, the Portuguese Bar Association, the Portuguese Psychologists’ Association, Associação Godinhela, Leiden University (Netherlands), Hope for Children (Cyprus), Child Helpline International (Netherlands) and the University of Salamanca (Spain). The project also benefits from the collaboration of the High Council for the Judiciary, the Directorate-General for Justice Policy and the Portuguese Criminal Police.
Over 24 months, JUST-LISTEN will provide capacity-building for justice professionals — judges, lawyers, prosecutors, police forces and psychologists — through specialised training based on trauma-informed, gender-sensitive and child-rights-centred approaches. This will be achieved through specific training modules combining technical training with immersive and experiential methodologies. A distinctive element of JUST-LISTEN is its participatory approach. Children and young people are not merely recipients of the actions but will contribute to the co-creation of tools and methodologies, ensuring that justice system responses reflect their real experiences and needs.
With impact at both national and European levels, JUST-LISTEN aims to support a lasting transformation of national and European justice systems, making them more accessible, inclusive and child protection-oriented.
At NOVA School of Law, the project will be coordinated and researched by João Zenha Martins, Odete Severino Soares and Maria Miguel Oliveira da Silva.
[1] This project has received funding from the European Union’s programme under Grant Agreement no. 101254164.
