Human Rights Education Associates

Child Participation

30 October-10 December 2019 (E04519) | CANCELED
Instructor: Claire O’Kane

This e-learning course introduces staff members of (international) development agencies and NGOs to meaningful children’s participation. Children have participation rights that states and other duty-bearers should fulfill, respect and protect in families, schools, communities, and wider society.

Children’s participation is a key principle of a child rights based approach. Children have rights to express their views and to be heard in all matters affecting them, while considering their evolving capacities. Providing space and inclusive opportunities for expression, information sharing, association and participation in decision making empowers children and young people as active citizens. Meaningful children’s participation leads to the development and implementation of more effective practice and policies, and increases realisation of children’s rights.

The course focuses on children’s rights to participate, with a particular focus on ethical and inclusive practice involving girls and boys of different ages and backgrounds, especially the most marginalized. Participants will deepen their knowledge, skills, values and confidence to support meaningful children’s participation processes in different settings (programming, families, schools, communities, local and national governance, practice and policy developments). Practical guidance on basic requirements, approaches and tools to strengthen meaningful children’s participation will be shared, and participants will be encouraged to reflect on and find solutions to challenges and ethical concerns faced in their participatory practice.