Child Participation

Children have the right to participate in matters affecting their lives and should be enabled to give their opinions, and to have those opinions taken into account. Through participation, children learn self-expression, empowerment and ultimately greater self-esteem.  Children are a diverse group and therefore children of different ages, abilities, backgrounds, races, and both genders should ideally be included in a consultation process.

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Gillian Mann and David Tolfree ,

Paper described ways in which children separated in emergencies have been involved in research about their community and lives. It focuses on identifying the most appropriate and achievable way to involve children given the reality of their context and circumstances, and includes an appendix of specific games to encourage child participation.

International HIV/AIDS Alliance,

Outlines the psychosocial impacts of HIV/AIDS on children and suggests principles and activities to strengthen psychosocial support. Includes a brief list of follow-up resources.

Claire O'Kane,

Focuses on the work of the Butterflies Programme for Street and Working Children in India. Advocates for participatory approaches in child-focused development work.

Claire O’Kane,

Outlines the Butterfly Program in India, which utilizes to an empowerment approach to working with children living and working on the streets of New Delhi. Highlights the importance of child participation and rights.

CIDA Child Protection Unit, Policy Branch,

A guide designed to help incorporate child participation results into relevant projects. Includes current practices and lessons learned, sample project plans, and a list of suggested resources.

Laurence Gray,

Discusses approaches to protecting at-risk children in five Asian countries. Identifies programming and policy measures that effectively address child abuse. Emphasis on committing all levels of society to coordinated practical response.

Andy West,

This paper defines concepts and highlights key topics around orphaned and vulnerable children. It stresses the importance of creating a child-friendly environment and utilizing a holistic approach to care, both which identify children as central participants in decision-making about care and placement.

Brigette De Lay,

Programmatic methodology and key steps for reintegrating institutionalized children back into the community in a post-conflict environment. Contains comprehensive assessment toolkit in document annex.

Gillian Mann,

This paper describes a qualitative research study conducted in three villages in Malawi. It explores community mobilization and kinship care, as well as striking discrepancies between the perceptions of adults and children regarding care and support. The paper advocates for increased child decision-making, childcare protection policy, and support networks for orphaned children.

Miatta Abdullai, Edwin Dorbor, and David Tolfree,

This paper outlines the response of Save the Children to the civil war outbreak in Liberia. Using the concept of child participation, the organization was able to address the needs of the children, which included family tracing and reunification, child protection and education.