The Platform connects existing child participation mechanisms at local, national and EU level, and involves children in the decision-making processes at the EU level.
The EU Children’s Participation Platform is one of the key elements of including children in democratic and political life of the EU, and a key deliverable of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child.
The platform will be established in partnership with the European Parliament and child rights’ organisations, to ensure children are better involved in decision-making.
The CPP will be a hub for existing child participation mechanisms at all levels in the EU. It will also include an online platform where children can share their opinion with decision-makers on specific EU policies and initiatives. It will contribute to an exchange of practices and experiences on child participation across the EU.
The European Union and children’s rights
The European Union (EU for short) is a group of 27 countries that work together.
The EU and governments made certain promises so that children can have a good life: they promised to promote children’s rights.
Children have a right to be safe, to play, to learn and to have a say, for example.
The EU has a plan about how to ensure that children have a happy and healthy life: this plan is called the EU Strategy on the rights of the child. When preparing this plan, the EU asked 10.000 children what they thought should be in the Strategy. A lot of children said that they would like to have a say in matters that concern them, and that they would like decision-makers to listen to their opinion.
The EU then included in the Strategy that children will have the opportunity to have their voices heard. A very important pillar in this document is children’sright to participate in policy-making.
The Child Participation Platform
To make sure that children’s voices are heard, the EU is creating a Child Participation Platform.
The Platform will be a safe place for all children where they can share with decision-makers what they think about important matters that concern all of us. Children can contact each other, interact, discuss and learn about their rights.
The Platform will be a place where children can learn about laws and policies in a child-friendly language.
Children will also be able to get in touch with organisations (for example children’s councils on a local level, or children’s parliaments) close to the place where they live.
A place for everyone
This platform is for the children from 5 to 18 years old, parents, citizens, governmental and non/governmental organisations.
The platform wants to connect existing children’s parliaments, children’s councils (on local/city/municipality level), ombudspersons for children, and all organisations who believe children should have their voices heard.
Coming soon
The Child Participation Platform will be officially announced during the Forum on the Rights of the Child on 27 September. Children will be closely associated to its preparation. It will be fully operation by early 2023.
Children’s right to participate
Some people do not agree that children have a right to have a say in decisions. Others think it is too difficult or would cost too much money.
As opposed to this, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights says that children have the right to express their views freely, and that adults should listen to children’s opinion. Children’s right to be heard is also enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – a document that was signed by almost all countries in the world.
Partner organisations
The European Union works together with other organisations to promote children’s participation.
UNICEF is an organisation by the United Nations (UN for short), the largest organisation of the world. Almost every country is a member of the UN.
The Council of Europe is another organisation for countries. The Council of Europe also works on promoting children’s participation.
ENOC is an organisation for the European Ombudsperson for Children. Ombudsperson are people who make sure that governments respect citizens’ rights.
