UNICEF report on child participation at the local level

Date: 13th October 2022
Category: Respect for the views of the child
Author: UNICEF

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UNICEF has released a study targeting local governments and stakeholders for establishing and strengthening formal participatory mechanisms for children to encourage the fulfilment of their obligation under Article 12 of the UNCRC.

Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child says that children have the right to form their own opinions on all matters concerning them and obligates decision makers to take these opinions seriously and into account.

Some local governments have developed innovative approaches to enable children and young people to participate in decisions that affect them such as establishing child and youth councils at local level. This study explores these approaches involving interviews of children and supporting adults who are actively engaged in child and youth councils in schools and at the local level.

The findings of the study were used to inform a guidance document on working with child and youth councils at local level.

• Read the report here.