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Children’s rights – child participation

Child Participation

Policies about children are often made about them, not with them. It is important that children can participate and are included.

What is child participation?

Child Participation means that children can discuss and co-decide on all matters that affect them, like family, school, community matters, government policies, legal policies. It means that their voices are being heard. This is crucial for the realization of children’s rights and also one of the core principals of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Why is child participation important?

  • Child participation is positive for the development of children and youth; it increases self-esteem and self-believe.
  • Child participation has a positive impact on the community engagement and active citizenship, children can co-decide on matters that affect them directly.
  • Children have the right to be heard and they have the right to access information.

What does KidsRights do?

Child participation is the key to everything KidsRights does. KidsRights believes in the power of children and sees children as changemakers. We support local organizations to develop and strengthen child participation in their projects. In addition we work with local partners in three projects focused specifically on this theme.

KidsRights offers children an international platform and supports them to speak out and stand up for their rights. We do this through the International Children’s Peace Prize.

KidsRights also published a report on child participation. This reprot, Child Participation: From Rights to Reality, focuses exclusively on child participation and gives examples of the International Children’s Peace Prize winners.