Children and Young People Build Participatory Democracy in Latin American Cities

This 26-page paper presents case studies from 4 cities in Latin America - Cotatachi in Ecuador, Barra Mansa and Icapuí in Brazil, and Ciudad Guyana in Venezuela - all of which launched initiatives to foster the active participation of children and young people in the governance of their cities. It describes the larger context in each of the 4 cases, the methods used to involve young people, the process as it evolved over time, the challenges experienced, and the impact of the initiatives.

These 4 case studies all focus on urban consultations, the cornerstone of interventions supported by the Urban Management Program (UMP) for Latin America and the Caribbean. These UMP consultations aimed to facilitate dialogue between urban administrations and other sectors of the community - in this case, children and young people - with an interest in resolving the community's most pressing problems, as well as to strengthen the capacity of local participants to support these improvements. In particular, adoption of participatory budgeting was used in all 4 cases as an approach to asserting the right of children and young people to play an active role in their cities. The common thread in participatory budgeting experiences is the involvement of local residents in decisions about the allocation of some part of the municipal budget; this approach is here expanded to include young people.

Each of the 4 illustrations includes sections that detail such elements of the strategy as context, objectives, process, challenges, opportunities and lessons learned, and impacts. To cite one example of communication strategies used to stimulate participation: In Icapuí, Brazil, through puppets or theatre, the team establishes rapport with the boys and girls. The Participatory Budget is explained through comparison with the family budget; the class is then divided into small working groups, and by means of drawing and painting the children describe their perceptions of the city as well as their expectations and dreams for the future. Several collective class activities involving theatre, dance or drawing are then designed to allow children to share, propose, discuss and participate - "essential elements in a practical apprenticeship for democracy." Children elect a representative from each classroom to participate in the general assembly of the school and to present the demands of each working group. Through a secret ballot process in which every student is entitled to vote and be elected, a general school assembly then chooses a representative to be a part of the Council of Child and Youth Participation.

Excerpt from "Conclusions Drawn from the Experiences" Section Follows:

"The strategy of active consultation has been confirmed in these four municipalities as a valid approach to improving the situation of children, especially with regard to their own participation in the discussion, prioritization and formulation of solutions that concern them. Those experiences that related to formalizing policies, channels and instruments directed at the participation of the children and young people in municipal administration, as well as the related resources mobilized and committed by local governments have been extremely valuable. But also valuable have been the less tangible changes in attitude which affect local people and processes over a longer period of time, encouraging attention to the situation of children and to their capacity as active citizens. This strategy has also been confirmed as adaptable to the different contexts and processes of some very different cities...

A decisive factor in the results achieved in the four cities is the level of local involvement, especially that of the local government....At the same time, the critical role of the municipal authority as a point of articulation has meant that these processes are vulnerable to political changes of direction, especially during elections or periods of transition, which have put initiatives at risk and led to uncertainty for those who participate in them....Making special efforts to include children in local processes as a routine matter of business can mean intensified pressure to create the same kind of political space for all local groups. On the other hand, the focus on children in these initiatives has been decisive in sensitizing and mobilizing other important participants...

An important factor in the success of these processes has been the training that the promoters of the process received in each phase. Despite the competence that children have demonstrated in the course of these initiatives, it is evident that support from well-prepared adults is key to success....Although committed adults are essential, the participation of children has injected a notable element of creativity into these consultation processes and has been extremely enriching and motivational. A vision and understanding of a city from the perspective of children has left its mark...The particular issues identified by girls (for instance, the need for lights in the pedestrian tunnel in Barra Mansa) also make it clear that both age- and gender-sensitive perspectives are essential. Nevertheless, according to the analysis of the participants of each process, there still remains a lot to do to overcome an excessively "adult" vision of urban administration...

In returning to visit some of the young councilors in Barra Mansa after five or six years, it is striking to see these outspoken, thoughtful, socially active young people who continue to carry their experience into their adult lives. Even when the formal processes deteriorate with changes in administration, or disappear entirely, it is important not to see them as failures, but to consider the impression they have made on a generation of young people and the ripple effects for those around them. These new adults are the real sustainability factor in building citizenship and participatory democracy."