|
CHILD PARTICIPATION IS VITAL
(written by 2004 Young General Assembly Session participants)
Politicians often tell the world about the importance of children by saying, “Children are the future.” Yet it can be counted on the fingers of one hand how many governments have a Minister for Children or a governmental department with an adequate budget and staff devoted to developing, implementing, and evaluating programmes to ensure that the children of their nation can fully develop their human potential. In 1990 the United Nations World Summit for Children set only ten goals for governments to achieve by the year 2000. The ensuing national plans of action made by each member state of the United Nations were not publicized, not funded and the ten goals were not fully achieved because of lack of political will.
In 2000, at the United Nations Millennium Summit, eight goals were set for governments to achieve in roughly a decade. Half way through the decade, again it was seen that the goals were far from being achieved because of lack of political will.
In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children adopted the document “A World Fit for Children” consisting of 21 targets in four goal areas for member states to achieve between 2003 and 2015. Governments themselves are to conduct “periodic reviews.” Governments were asked to “consider” reporting their progress towards A World Fit for Children targets when reporting on their implementation progress of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva. UNICEF was requested to monitor and report on the progress towards achieving the 21 targets. The United Nations Secretary General was requested to report “regularly” to the General Assembly on governments’ progress on implementing A World Fit for Children 21 targets. In 2003, UNICEF reported already there was a lack of political will in achieving the 21 targets.
Over one hundred children discussed the failure of governments to reach the goals they adopt at the Fifth Annual Young General Assembly Session July 31– August 8, 2004 in Abuja, Nigeria. They concluded that the missing element is Child Participation. They reasoned that if governments would include children in the planning, implementation and evaluation of children’s programmes and policies, the resulting plans and policies would be realistic, economical and successfully achieved. Children/adolescents have different ways of looking at the heart of issues and they have creativity and energy. Those resources, combined with the knowledge and experience that adults have, can do much to strengthen political will and build a world fit for everyone. To enforce their commitment to achieve
The Millennium Development Goals, to the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to fully achieving the 21 targets of A World Fit for Children, they wrote 105 project plans so children can demonstrate to their governments that Child Participation is vital to creating a better future for everyone.
Child Participation is the respectful involvement of children in decision making, nation building, and issues concerning all living creatures on Earth. A child can begin participating as soon as the child realizes that there is a world outside of his/her immediate surroundings. Child Participation programmes can focus on people ages 12-18 who, in turn, will help younger children to become involved.
EFFECTIVE CHILD PARTICIPATION MUST INCLUDE THE WHOLE OF SOCIETY
To participate successfully, children need:
to take the responsibility to inform themselves;
to have the courage to speak up when they see a need;
to make decisions based on their own sense of fairness: and
to be patient with adults.
Youth can enhance Child Participation:
by listening carefully to children;
by counseling them;
by encouraging them to become informed before making decisions; and
by actively bridging the gap between adults and children.
Adults share a large responsibility in effective Child Participation.They must:
look beyond the age and the size of the child;
really hear what the child is saying;
learn to trust children;
encourage children’s enthusiasm, confidence, creativity, and their thirst for knowledge; and
create opportunities for children to participate in meaningful ways in the family, the community, in school, and in out of school activities in the areas of planning, policy making, the raising and handling of money, and in all areas that will build a sustainable world.
The media must:
balance the negative image they overwhelmingly portray of teenagers by giving at least equal attention to the positive things children do.
All governmental institutions must:
open up places in which children can participate in governance other than by voting because children are approximately one third of the world’s population;
have a staffed and funded office in every government at every level through which children can communicate with their government and it can communicate with them; and
at every level, including the United Nations, have a democratic children’s body that meets no less than 6 times a year to advise them on children’s issues.
The United Nations General Assembly has approved more than one resolution encouraging the inclusion of people ages 15-24 in United Nations General Assembly delegations. Very few member states have complied with the resolutions they have approved. Some of the member states that have complied have included young adults over age 24, not youth. Very few of member states in compliance have included people under 18. This practice must be expanded to include people 15-17 who are youth according to the General Assembly definition of youth. Because they are under 18, they are also children as defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is curious that the same resolution has been passed several times in the General Assembly, but still is not widely observed. These resolutions must be upheld by every member state every General Assembly session. Member states need to listen to, weigh, and honestly consider acting on the views of these young delegates.
The sincere inclusion of Child Participation can:
infuse a breath of fresh air into the busy, overworked lives of decision-makers;
renew political will; and
positively help to bring about a world fit for everyone.
|