Introduction
The Children’s Rights Research Fund is connected to Maastricht University and the University Fund Limburg (SWOL). It aims at supporting research and education projects in the field of children’s rights by staff and students from Maastricht University, with an option to cooperate with third parties. The Fund will make grants available twice a year.
Applications by Maastricht University staff and students can be submitted for
- A research project with a maximum of € 5000,-.
- An education project with a maximum of € 2500,-.
Projects may take place in The Netherlands or in other countries. Collaborations with people or organizations are welcomed. However, applications should involve at least one Maastricht University student or staff member.
Funding criteria
The application (max. 3 pages A-4) must describe the goal(s) of the project, the time-line, the way it will be implemented and its intended outcome. In addition,
- At least one of the goals of the project should aim at improving the living situation of children;
- As for research projects, the involvement of and participation by children is required. Projects without any involvement of children will not be eligible for funding;
- As for education projects, there should be a strong emphasis on stimulating children to think and act creatively, critically and with a problem-solving orientation. Applications aimed at passive learning will not be eligible for funding;
- It must indicate which third party will be involved in the project, if any;
- For research projects a short explanation of the methodology must be provided;
- An estimate of costs and revenues must be attached.
The deadline for the second call in 2023 was 15 November 2023.
Only one application was received, submitted by a student of Maastricht University in cooperation with a third party. No applications have been submitted by staff members of Maastricht University.
The jury was composed of Prof Fons Coomans (chair), Dr Philip Veerman, Mrs. Christiane Verfuurden and Prof Andrea Broderick, members of the Advisory Board of the Children’s Rights Research Fund.
Decision
The Jury decided to award the only application submitted with a grant. It will briefly explain why the project application has been awarded a grant.
Title of the Project: Well-being of Underprivileged Youths in Mauritius
Submitted by: Ms. Audrey Janssen, student at the Faculty of Arts, Culture and Social Sciences (FASOS)
This research project will be done in the framework of the Master thesis assignment of the applicant. It will be executed in cooperation with the NGO Terre de Paix which carries out projects on children in Mauritius. The project will deal with the question how the projects carried out by Terre de Paix improve the well-being of underprivileged children in Mauritius as perceived by the children themselves. The applicant will research this question from a multidimensional perspective. The project is composed of several parts, including a literature review and detailed study, quantitative and qualitative research, including a field study and interviews and conversations with stakeholders in Mauritius.
The Jury found the project interesting from the perspective of children’s rights. The Project will focus on the notion of the well-being of children that is closely related to the concept of development of children. For better understanding these two notions, the project will have a good basis in the literature on these subjects. A key feature of the project will be the participation of children in the project implementation: it will apply the so-called Lundy model of participation to achieve this. The Jury wants to emphasize and to recommend that adequate attention should be given to the ethical aspects of involving young children in the project, such as the informal conversations with them to make sure that they feel safe and are able to participate freely. Language and communication issues may constitute a barrier for such an open and constructive dialogue.
The Jury decided to award an amount of € 2.500,- for this project.
First call in 2024
A new round for applications for funding will take place later this year. The deadline is April 1st, 2024. In particular, students from Maastricht University are encouraged to prepare and submit an application. They may consult Dr Marieke Hopman of the Children’s Rights Research Fund for advice (email:
