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NATIONAL COUNCIL GUIDE
( a young people’s organization that can help children monitor their governments efforts to achieve the 21 targets in A World Fit for Children)
I. BENEFITS OF A NATIONAL COUNCIL
A. A National Council of children can benefit its government by bringing to it:
A means of fulfilling the invitation of partnership made by a nation to its children when the 1990 World
Summit for Children Declaration was signed;
Creative, practical and economical solutions to national children’s problems made by those who know
children’s problems best;
The views that children hold based on love and humanitarian values;
A dynamic partnership combining the experience and resources of adults with the creativity and energy of
children which could better the lives of all of a nation’s people;
Children’s unfettered, clear, fresh approach to issues which is uncomplicated by political aspiration;
The ability to tenaciously hold peace (quality of life) as a primary value;
The excitement of young energy and enthusiasm- a greener energy;
Ideas focused on the present because children are right here, right now;
Reminders of responsibilities and promises made by adults;
The child’s way of looking things with openness and non-judgment;
Debate-sparking ideas;
The kind of reasoning that broadens minds and expands possibilities; and
The power that young people have to re-awaken the child within adults and re-kindle their hopes and dreams.
B. A National Council of children can benefit its nation and the children of its nation by:
Giving children the opportunity to be responsibly active citizens;
Providing a voice for ALL children including those without education, those in remote areas and those who
are disadvantaged, handicapped, incarcerated, orphaned, etc.;
Basing its foundation upon the Convention on the Rights of the Child;
Becoming the children’s “watch dog” organization alerting the government and public about child rights
violations;
Informing and educating children about their rights and the accompanying responsibilities;
Campaigning for the right of children to have things they have been deprived of even though they have been
promised by their governments (for instance, education);
Validating children’s inherent rights;
Demonstrating the ability of children to make intelligent contributions;
Strengthening mutual respect between the generations;
Being a forum of mutual support so children can help each other;
Offering a beacon for children to look towards with pride, giving them encouragement to make a difference as individuals;
Modeling the kinds of communication, listening and talking, that build better relationships at all levels;
Offering hope to all children that children can be respected and there can be a better life in the future;
Bringing education and information to children so they can learn about themselves, their national problems and organize to solve these problems by having children work for and with children; and by
- Unifying the children and unifying the future;
II. SUGGESTED STEPS TO FORM A NATIONAL COUNCIL
1. Form a small start-up committee of active, like-minded children. Consider involving some adults or representatives of an organization interested in working for child rights.
2. The start-up committee begins a campaign to let children of all ages throughout the nation know about the National Council proposal. This can be done by printing a child-written preamble or introduction on flyers,
handouts, articles in children’s magazines, after-school-hours workshops, computer bulletin boards, etc. Have
those interested form a National Council Committee of children (hopefully in different regions of the nation)
to work together to organize a National Council (NC). The National Council Committee can communicate
through e mail, donated conference telephone calls, fax letters, etc., if a central meeting place is too difficult
or expensive to reach.
3. Give the NC proposal to organizations working with or for children throughout the nation.
4. Everyone in the nation who supports the National Council proposal is invited to sign a national petition.
5. Bring national petitions and other documents to Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) offices. Seek support from at least one NGO with high credibility to act as a back-up when confronting the government.
6. Invite each regional head of government to sign the petition and write a supportive letter.
7. Bring letters, petitions and documents from all levels to the national government official in charge of young
people.
8. Hold a meeting between the national government, NGOs and the National Council Committee to discuss the details of setting up a National Council. (Where should the National Council meet? How many councilors
should there be?, etc.).
9. Select the National Council councilors.
III. NATIONAL COUNCIL COUNCILORS
A. Process of Selection
Children will be notified of upcoming National Council selection process through their schools, children’s groups, organizations that work with disadvantaged children and shelters. Children wishing to be selected must submit a piece of work that expresses their commitment to children’s rights and their desire to further
the plight of children. Essays, poems, videos and songs in one of ten categories chosen by each country can
be acceptable. An NGO organization in collaboration with volunteer teachers and youth (possibly former
councilors) will review the submissions, interview the selected applicants, and then finally choose the
National Council councilors to achieve as broad a representation of every segment of society as possible. It is
suggested that the reviewers not know the applicants to avoid prejudice.
B. Suggested Requirements for Councilors
1. Age- It is suggested that councilors be over 12 years of age. Children over 12 are usually more mature and less easily influenced.
2. Knowledge- It is best that councilors have knowledge of children’s rights. It is suggested that councilors have knowledge of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations and that councilors are fluent in their national language (realizing minorities need to be represented).
3. Commitment/Experience- Each councilor must be committed to children’s rights. It is suggested that candidates for final selection already have been involved with a project in their community dealing with and helping children.
IV. NATIONAL COUNCIL FUNDING POLICY
National Councils should seek support from non-governmental organizations primary to support from national governments.
In order for the National Councils to act in an advisory capacity to their national government, as opposed to being a lobbyist group, direct ties must be established to their government by seeking technical and financial support to maintain this partnership between the adults and the nation’s children.
The National Council of each country will decide how much support should be accepted from the government to create a “no-strings-attached” environment according to the individual status of each country.
V. NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING PROCEDURE
A. National Council Structure
A National Council will be composed of a Facilitator, Assistant to the Facilitator, a Scribe and councilors representing all regions of their country
1. The Facilitator (United Nations Secretary-General-like position)
a. The Facilitator for the next year will be elected by the Council at the end of its year.
b. The Facilitator will be a second year voting councilor at that time of election.
2. The Assistant to the Facilitator
a. The Assistant to the Facilitator will be elected like the Facilitator.
b. The Assistant to the Facilitator will serve as the time-keeper and the keeper-of-the-heart. The keeper-of-the-heart will monitor the meetings and keep the tone of the meetings positive and argument free. The spirit of the Council in held in this person’s heart.
3. The Scribe
a. A Scribe will be elected like the Facilitator and Assistant to the Facilitator. S/he will record the minutes of the meetings, then print and send them to all involved in the National Council and others when necessary.
4. The councilors and researchers
a. All children on the Council will serve two years: the first year as researcher without voting privileges, the second year as councilor with voting privileges.
b. Second year voting councilors from each region should be present at all Council meetings. c. The councilors will also serve as mentors for the first year researchers.
d. A first year researcher will collect all the data for the councilor and will be advised by the councilor. At times, when the councilor is unable to attend National Council meetings, the first year researcher will attend meetings and vote in his/her place.
B. Conducting National Council Meetings
1. Agenda
An agenda will be distributed several days before each National Council meeting and will be read at the beginning of each National Council meeting. The Scribe will set the agenda. Councilors can get issues on the agenda by signing up with the Scribe. Notes on each councilor’s speech should be given to the Scribe in advance. The Facilitator determines the place of an item on the agenda.
2. Emergency
If there is an emergency topic to be discussed, a councilor will call for a vote at the opening of the National Council to waive the normal proceedings and discuss the emergency. If the vote is split evenly, the Facilitator will decide whether or not the item will be discussed.
3. Minutes
Minutes from the previous meeting will be read at the beginning of each meeting.
4. Resolutions
All major resolutions require a roll call vote so that it is clear how each councilor voted.
5. Speeches
Each councilor may only make one speech and one proposal during one National Council meeting. Each speaker is guaranteed four minutes of uninterrupted time. After each speech, only two councilors may present comments or questions to the speaker. Each comment, impromptu speech and voting speech
may have at least two minutes. If time is left after comments, the speaker may respond to the comments.
The Assistant to the Facilitator will record who will comment to the speeches, so that after each comment
councilors do not have to raise their hands to be recognized to comment.
6. The Colored-Card Procedure
A packet of colored cards will be available to the Facilitator, the Assistant to the Facilitator, the Scribe and each voting councilor. After the required minimum speech and comment/question times described above, the Facilitator, the Assistant Facilitator, the Scribe and the councilors can “speak” by using the colored cards.
a. The Facilitator can “speak” with a:
yellow card- Warning. The speech is too long.
Warning. The speech is too repetitive.
Warning. There is only 60 seconds left in the 4 minute speech time. Warning. There is only 30 seconds left in the 4 minute speech time.
Warning. There is only 15 seconds left in the 2 minute comment time.
green card- Continue the speech until a yellow card is presented.
Continue the comment for an additional minute.
red card- The speaker must stop in 15 seconds (given only once).
The speaker must stop now (after two yellow cards have been presented).
The speaker must stop now (after one yellow and a majority of councilors display purple cards).
The speaker must stop now because s/he is off topic.
brown card- Discussion noise in the background is too loud.
b. The Assistant to the Facilitator can “speak” with a:
deep blue card- Vetoes the red card and allows the speaker one minute before the Facilitator can
hold up a yellow card.
yellow card- Warning that the speech is too long or repetitive (given only once).
brown card- Discussion noise in the background is too loud.
c. The Scribe can “speak” with a:
pink card- Wait because the scribe is not getting all the notes recorded. The speaker should
slow down because the scribe is not getting all the notes recorded.
d. The councilors can “speak” with a:
light blue card- The speaker should slow down. S/he is talking too fast.
rainbow card- The councilor holding the card is confused. The speaker should explain further.
red card- The councilor holding the card found the speaker’s words very offensive.
Then the Facilitator will decide if the red card is appropriate. If it is, then the card holder will be allowed a 45 second comment.
purple card- The speaker lost the card holder’s attention. The card holder is no longer listening.
pink card- Wait. Time for translation is needed. The councilor who needs translation will hold up this card until the translation is complete. After one minute the Facilitator will ask if there is a need for further translation.
orange card- Calls for a vote on the previous suggestion/proposal. The Facilitator
will recognize the orange card and call for a vote.
black card- A councilor is voting, “No.”
white card- A councilor is voting, “Yes.”
gray card- A councilor is abstaining from voting.
Written by participants of the 1996 World Summit of Children Project INTERNATIONAL SUMMIT in Costa Rica
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