1. Introduction ‘Yes, I wanted good things in prison. ‘It’s the freedom that Yes, I was in jail and I know what things happen over there. we are seeking in this moment. A minor should not be in prison. that happen in prison. A minor should not be punished. The GSPs [prison staff] hit the minors, All I want is to change habits. they tire the minors. Minors want changes for their future.’ Thanks in advance.’ We won’t forget all the things All children have a right to express their views and to have them taken seriously in all matters affecting them (Article 12 CRC). This right clearly applies to children deprived of their liberty, thus requiring that children are consulted both individually and collectively in this context. Fulfilling the right of the child to be heard is instrumental to understanding the lived experiences of children deprived of their liberty and it is integral to ensuring that their rights are protected. As the CRC-Committee has noted: ‘the voices of children involved in the child justice system are increasingly becoming a powerful force for improvements and reform, and for the fulfilment of their rights’.1 1 CRC-Committee, General Comment No 24 – Children’s rights in juvenile justice, 2019, CRC/C/GC/24, p. 5, Available at https://www.ohchr. org/Documents/HRBodies/CRC/GC24/GeneralComment24.docx (accessed 15 May 2019). 79