MALTA V: Fifth Conference on the HCCH Children’s Conventions
as Bridges between Civil/Common Law and Islamic Law
(24-27 September 2024)
Main Documentation
- Malta V Declaration
- Concept Note (revised)
- Malta V video (Friday 27 September)
- Agenda: English version | Arabic version
Presentations
- Session 1: Key takeaways from Malta I to IV – Expectations for Malta V and beyond
- Ruth Sciberras, CEO, Social Care Standards Authority, and Noel Cutajar, Director for the Central Authority, Malta
- Andrew Moylan, Head of International Family Justice and Hague Network Judge for England and Wales, United Kingdom
- Session 2: How to give effect to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (e.g., Arts 9, 10, 11, 18, 20, 22, 27(4), 35) in cross-border situations?
- Grace Agcaoili, Child Protection Specialist, Child Protection Section, UNICEF HQ New York
- Erica Neiglick, Head of the International Civil Law Group, Department for Consular Affairs and Civil Law, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden
- Chloe Lelievre, Head, Justice & Rule of Law Unit, Public Governance Directorate, OECD
- Session 3: Parental responsibility, custody and guardianship under Shari’a law and civil / common law legal traditions, and the principle of the best interests of the child under the 1980 Child Abduction and the 1996 Child Protection Conventions
- Manaan Omar, Focal Person on the 1980 Convention, Ministry of Law and Justice, Pakistan
- Emmanuelle Jacques, Counsel, Department of Justice, Canada
- Ingrid Stokkeland, Senior Adviser, Department of International Law, The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs, Norway
- Session 4: Kafala and the 1996 Child Protection Convention
- Pierre Beaudoin, Deputy Head of the Legal Cooperation Department, Ministry of Justice, France
- Session 5: Key judicial decisions rendered in cross-border child abduction and child protection matters involving civil / common law and Shari’a law States
- Annette Olland, Senior Judge, Family Law Division, District Court of The Hague, Member of the IHNJ, Netherlands
- Session 6: Role and benefits of the International Hague Network of Judges (IHNJ) in cross-border child abduction and child protection matters
- António José Fialho, Senior Judge / Magistrate, President of the District Court of Setúbal, District Court of Setúbal, Member of the IHNJ, Portugal
- Session 7: Mediation in child abduction cases – Making it work
- Mohamed Keshavjee, Senior Research Scholar and specialist in Cross Cultural Mediation and Contemporary Islamic Jurisprudence, Institute of Ismaili Studies London (by video)
- Angele Sears-Debono , Legal and Policy Officer, European Commission
- Milica Zlatković, Judge, Court of Appeal in Niš, Member of the IHNJ Serbia
- Mohamad Al Ayouby, CEO, IHOPE
- Alison Shalaby, CEO, reunite International Child Abduction Centre
- Session 8 : Some key resources for mediation: Guide to Good Practice on Mediation, and Practitioners Tool
- Ischtar Khalaf-Newsome, Head of Advisory Services, Co-CEO, MiKK e.V. International Mediation Centre for Family Conflict and Child Abduction
- Joëlle Schickel-Küng, Co-Head of Private International Law Unit, Federal Office of Justice, Switzerland
- Session 9: Mediation in child abduction cases: the child’s voice (States’ practices)
- Alistair MacDonald, High Court Judge, Royal Courts of Justice, Member of the IHNJ for England and Wales, United Kingdom
- Anca Magda Voiculescu, Judge, Bucharest Court of Appeal, Member of the IHNJ, Romania
- Nazia Yaqub, Lecturer in Law, University of Leeds
- Session 10: Mediation: Working Party on Mediation (current status and future) and Central Contact Points
- Griffyn G. Chezenko, Senior Analyst, Socio-Economic and Policy Research, Consular Issues and International Consular Engagement (CPP), Canada
- Reflections from the Questionnaire on the Working Party on Family Mediation in the context of the Malta Process – document prepared by Canada
- Session 13: Main points to consider when joining and implementing HCCH Children’s Conventions – States’ practices
- Manaan Omar, Focal Person on the 1980 Convention, Ministry of Law and Justice, Pakistan
- Patrizia De Luca, Senior Expert / Team leader external relations and international cooperation, European Commission
Background Documentation
- Declarations from Malta I (2004), II (2006), III (2009) and IV (2016) Conferences (Arabic version)
- Summary of HCCH Children’s Conventions and the IHNJ
- HCCH Children’s Conventions
- Outline of the 1980 Convention on Child Abduction (Arabic version)
- Child Abduction Section
- Outline of the 1996 Convention on the Protection of Children (Arabic version)
- Child Protection Section
- Outline of the 2007 Convention on Child Support (Arabic version)
- Child Support Section
- International Hague Network of Judges (IHNJ)
- List of Members of the IHNJ
- Emerging Guidance regarding the development of the IHNJ and General Principles for Judicial Communications within the context of the IHNJ
- Mediation in the context of the HCCH Children’s Conventions
- Guide to Good Practice Child Abduction Convention: Part V - Mediation
- Practitioners’ Tool: Cross-Border Recognition and Enforcement of Agreements Reached in the Course of Family Matters Involving Children
- Working Party on Mediation in the context of the Malta Process
- Central Contact Points for international family mediation
- Principles for the Establishment of Mediation Structures in the context of the Malta Process (Arabic version)
- Explanatory Memorandum on the Principles for the Establishment of Mediation Structures in the context of the Malta Process (Arabic version)
- Previous meetings and documentation
Conventions (incl. Protocols and Principles)
- Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction [28]
- Convention of 19 October 1996 on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in Respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children [34]
- Convention of 23 November 2007 on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance [38]