Children and youth express opinions, take responsibility and make a difference
Meaningful and safe spaces for children to express, deliberate and influence decisions that affect their lives
Child participation is critical for the successful implementation of a universal sustainable development that leaves no child behind and will accelerate the protection, respect and fulfilment of children’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Far from being merely recipients of decisions made for them, children should be propelled to the forefront, enabling them to be decisive stakeholders.
Child participation represents more than just a forum for discussion—it’s a beacon of empowerment, validation of children's agency and facilitation of their active role in shaping their future. At World Vision, our commitment lies in nurturing genuine, safe, and impactful child participation. We believe in the transformative potential of young voices and have improved methodologies and ways of working to push the boundaries further, ensuring that every child, regardless of their background or circumstances, has a voice that resonates.
SDGs supported:
Child participation progress in East Asia
In the fiscal year 2023, we witnessed impressive strides in child participation.
Our approach to promoting child participation
Depending on the context, specific issues at hand, and the resources and support available, children can participate at distinct levels: consultative, collaborative, and child-led.
Consultative Participation
Child participation at a consultative level involves actively seeking and integrating the perspectives of children and young people into decision-making, programme design, implementation and
Collaborative Participation
At a collaborative level, children and young people work together with adults as partners to shape initiatives and decisions. While typically initiated by adults, children are involved as equal
Child-Led Participation
At this participation level, adults empower children to initiate activities and advocate autonomously. Children take charge of identifying relevant issues, orchestrating discussions, and implementing
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