Children in Politics: A Collection of 11 Inspiring, Motivating and Suggestive Case Studies on Children's Engagement in Governance

"The majority of children want to be involved in decisions that affect them. They value opportunities to access information and to have their say. Children have different perspectives than adults and know their own situation best. Many children would also like the opportunity to help make the world a better place."

This report shares experiences and lessons learned from Save the Children Members and country programmes along with examples from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Nepal and Plan Kenya on how to successfully engage children in governance. Child rights governance is defined here as recognising children as right holders and citizens by listening to their experiences and opinions and supporting their proposals and initiatives. This concept is also based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which affirms the right of children to be listened to and to have their views taken seriously in decisions that affect their lives. In addition to addressing governments' obligation to involve civil society which includes children, children's civil and political rights, and good governance for children, this publication seeks to strengthen the capacity of key actors to engage in quality relationships. Common to all case studies in this report is that partnerships between local governments, civil society, and children have been formed, and the quality of the relationships has gradually improved as trust has been built and adults have recognised that children have a "great deal to contribute" in terms of problem analysis and ideas for solutions.

Case studies include:

• Global Children's Panel - Save the Children United Kingdom (UK) has invited 12 children and young people to engage in the governance of the organisation. According to Hannah Metha, Child Participation Adviser, Save the Children UK, "it is crucial to ensure that staffs...are trained, and that children's influence is integrated into the organisation. Otherwise, there is a risk that this becomes a one-off event instead of true child rights governance.”
• Child Friendly Local Governance Strategy - In the words of Sunita Tamang, who lives in Biratnagar, Nepal, "'My club is called Suryodaya Working Children's Club. Our club has helped to make this municipality child friendly. We have been supporting birth registration and immunisation campaigns. We have also formed child clubs in all the schools. We conducted two days of orientation for all the child clubs in Biratnagar and explained about the benefits of child-friendly local governance and the negative effects on children when a community is not child friendly,'....When her government announced an immunisation campaign, her club went to all the nooks and crannies of her municipality to identify even the poorest worker children, who are normally never found by government officials. Sunita and her friends took these children to the immunisation centres, and the municipality department of health had to admit that the immunisation rates were higher than ever." UNICEF Nepal is also in the process of testing a participatory assessment tool, which used for measuring child-friendliness. During the test, young children made drawings and collages of what they like and dislike, of domestic violence, child abuse, children breaking brick and other kinds of child labour, clean versus dirty schools etc.
• Children and Youth Organisation (CYO) - "The four children's organisations supported by Save the Children in Philippines have managed to have children elected into important posts in all relevant national structures....[A]ll the children's organisations have had gains at the local level, e.g. the establishment of proper reporting mechanisms when children are abused and beaten by adults, access to play and meeting facilities, no punishment when curfews are violated, new local government budget allocations for child rights activities and child rights activities in schools and during public occasions. The children also underline the impact the engagement in governance has had on their personal lives. Increased knowledge and self-esteem have led to positive discussions with parents and community members, who gradually understand that children should be protected against harm and that corporal punishment should be avoided."
• Public Policy for Children - "The level of children's engagement in governance varies from area to area even within one country. The importance attached to child rights and the supportiveness of children's engagement in governance depends on the interests and beliefs of individual politicians and officials, on local agendas and politics, and on the internal power balance in a constituency. This becomes very clear in Camotán, Guatemala, where the local government is involved in child-friendly governance projects." Example: The children gather in their groups to talk about which developments they envision will benefit the entire community. Decisions are made collectively, and the children develop their own work plans each year. For instance, the environment group plans to write a request for money to put up trash cans on all the streets in town and to include the request in a letter to the Municipal Development Council with support from the Community Development Council.
• Child-Friendly National Budget Initiative, Zimbabwe - "The initiative is guided by the key principles of participation, empowerment, fairness, equality, transparency and accountability. Subsequently, children from rural and urban areas and all social classes are involved in analysing and influencing local and national budgets to make these responsive to the requests of children."
• Hi Neighbour - "Members of the youth centre [in Banja Luka, Bosnia Herzegovina/Republika Srbska], among others, decided to carry out some research on child trafficking, child pornography and prostitution, which is a growing problem in Banja Luka. The research was planned to take place via focus group discussions in 10 schools. Trained in qualitative research and the technique of focus group discussions, the children defined the sample, worked out a detailed agreement and work plan and determined the division of tasks. Over 60 hours of psychological counselling work were held for members of the group on the development problems young people face. After carrying out the research, the children participated in lectures on the emerging value system that has led to an increase child pornography and prostitution. In all, 350 children have been educated on the protection and recognition of sexually threatening situations. The members of the youth centre also do theatre shows, preparing their own scripts, scenes, costumes, lighting and performances. Active on Facebook and in the media, they have learned to write reports, carry out workshops and about communication. Moreover, they have written articles for newsletters and interviewed representatives of the police."
• Network of Municipal Governments Friends of Children, Nicaragua - "Together with the network, Save the Children has ensured that children are directly involved in the discussions and approval of projects directly benefitting them, and child councils and lobby events have been created as spaces for children to engage in governance at the municipal level."
• "Tunaweza" or "We can!" - This is a youth, children, and community empowerment project implemented by Plan Kenya in collaboration with key government offices and civil society. According to the report, the initiative has increased child and youth engagement in governance in civil society organisations (CSOs) and government structures influencing the everyday lives of children in Kenya. "The project has led to incorporation of youth leaders in key decision-making committees, e.g. the All District Poverty Eradication committee. Several departments and ministries have also recognised and involved the youth in programmes that have continued way beyond the Tunaweza project. Improvements in birth registration and a water dam construction have been attributed to the children and youth's involvement in data collection and awareness creation."
• The Mini Children's Panel, Denmark - Children 4-6 years of age volunteer their opinions on subjects taken up by the National Council for Children. The children's replies are disseminated to the public at large, child experts, politicians, children, and others with an interest in the field of children. But most of all, the studies are designed to inspire and motivate daycare staff to initiate further participation and child governance in day care centres. However: "Being a developed country does not necessarily bring child rights, child participation and child rights governance to the forefront. Maybe on the contrary. Highly educated adult decision makers tend to forget to ask the children and youth about their opinions, because they think they already know what is best for children and youth. Danish civil society could profitably use some of the experiences gained from children's engagement in governance in developing countries to initiate child rights governance in Denmark."
• Promote Child Friendly Environment in Guraghe Zone - The child parliament members who are part of this Save the Children Denmark and local partner organisation GPSDO initiative help raise awareness among other children about their rights, and they act as watchdogs in their schools. One child said: "I speak on behalf of other girls, and I speak for myself. I report to the authorities if girls are harassed or abused, and I've learned to say no to sexual harassment."