A/HRC/27/25 submit observations to a jury; however, it could not call into question a court’s decision. The purpose was to render more humane the relationship between citizens and public authorities; mediate rather than sanction, reparation rather than fault and punishment. B. Plenary discussion 32. During the afternoon panel discussion, representatives of the following States and organizations took the floor: the European Union, Norway, El Salvador, Spain, Sri Lanka, Slovenia, Switzerland, Honduras, Ireland, Nepal, the Council of Europe, Monaco, Argentina, Namibia, the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Romania, the Russian Federation, Indonesia, Maldives, India, Mexico, Egypt, Malaysia, Brazil, Uruguay, Morocco and South Africa. Representatives of the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Catholic Children’s Bureau, the Centre for Inquiry, the Ombudsman of Colombia, the Iranian Elite Research Centre and the National Human Rights Commission of Canada also took the floor. 33. During the interactive dialogue, Member States emphasized that there was a need to think about how children were viewed and treated: they should be recognized as holders of their own rights, and legally empowered to defend them. The importance of article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was noted, and it was stressed that States should ensure an enabling environment for the voice of the child to be heard. In this respect, States reiterated the importance of providing information to children in a form suited to their needs. It was recognized that children had to be aware of their rights to be able to promote them, and to stand up for them, and an international campaign was advocated to that end. Participants noted that it was necessary to find innovative, creative and accessible ways to ensure that children had access to and were aware of information. Several examples of national practices were given, including the creation of a teaching toolkit; child-friendly brochures to prepare children to participate in court processes and inform them about the role and function of courts; and raising awareness of rights through street plays and doorto-door visits. Some States indicated that empowering and enabling children to have access to justice was fundamental for child protection. 34. Many States highlighted the continued challenges facing children in gaining access to justice. It was noted that solid legislation was based on objective and comparable data, which were not available in this field, making it difficult to assess fully the extent to which children had access to justice. Lack of training was identified by States as a serious issue, with many noting the need for greater training of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers. Accountability was also identified as an important factor in ensuring access to justice. The need for independent national, regional and international monitoring mechanisms was mentioned to ensure the effective promotion of rights. 35. Restorative justice was an important theme addressed by many participants, and States noted the importance of encouraging alternative mechanisms, such as diversion, community-based programmes, mediation and non-custodial sentences for children in conflict with the law. It was mentioned that restorative justice instilled a sense of responsibility in the child, created social balance and allowed the child to reintegrate into the community. C. Concluding remarks 36. Ms. Khan stressed the importance of recognizing that access to justice involved not only children accused of crimes but also children who were victims of violations of their rights. She highlighted the opportunity presented by the post-2015 development 10