migration
Child Rights HelpDesk: guidance and socio-legal support
May 2026 – April 2027
Genoa, Italy
SUMMARY
The Child Rights Helpdesk 3.0 project represents the natural evolution of a path that began in 2023. Building on the success of the first two editions, we are now strengthening a process of inclusion and autonomy that goes beyond legal support, accompanying young people through the complex transition into adulthood and transforming the experience gained in the field into increasingly solid and structured protection.
The initiative, promoted by Defence for Children, aims to consolidate an integrated support model for unaccompanied foreign minors and young people facing the delicate transition to adulthood. Operating in Genoa, the project seeks to bridge the gap between the provisions of Law 47/2017 (the “Zampa Law”) and their practical implementation, ensuring that no young person is left alone on their path toward autonomy.
DEVELOPMENTS
Over the years, the project has grown steadily and has become a regular weekly appointment at our Spazio TuttoMondo in Genoa.
Child Rights HelpDesk January 2019 / January 2022
The Child Rights Helpdesk was created with the aim of serving as an independent observatory on the implementation of guarantees and rights for foreign minors within the local territory. The initiative was part of a broader European project promoted by Defence for Children Netherlands, which established a European platform called the European Child Rights Helpdesk, bringing together non-governmental organizations from various countries that provide socio-legal assistance to unaccompanied foreign children.
Child Rights HelpDesk 2.0 October 2024 / September 2025
Continuation and strengthening of a low-threshold support center at our headquarters in Piazza Don Gallo in Genoa.
Child Rights HelpDesk 3.0 May 2026 / April 2027
Today, the socio-legal support desk aims to provide direct, individualized, and personalized assistance to unaccompanied foreign minors and to their guardians, educators, and other key actors within the reception system, as well as to young adults who encounter difficulties in their paths toward autonomy and integration, ensuring that all the protections and measures guaranteed by law are effectively upheld.
