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ABSTRACT
Globally, never before has there been such formal support of children’s and young people’s meaningful participation, nor has there been so many attempts to make it a reality. Despite support, institutional structures and adult decision makers have not been able to engage in a paradigm shift and to involve children meaningfully, effectively and sustainably. Children’s participation in their own protection can improve these protection efforts through clarifying children’s specific needs and collaboratively finding solutions. This article will use the 2015 Facilitating International Child Participation in Child Protection Conference to explore critical issues at the intersection between children’s participation and child protection and the role of interconnectedness and collaboration between children and adults within and across sectors to identify opportunities for children and young people to be engaged as partners in international conferences and meetings. The scholars, practitioners, policymakers and young people from diverse disciplines and sectors identified current ethical, legal, political and practical tensions and priorities affecting the field. The author posits that learnings and action points from the conference can act as a pivotal leverage point to build a continuous exchange between children and adults on the development of policies, programmes and measures in relevant contexts. The article will conclude with recommendations for future conferences and continuous collaboration between children and adults in international forums.
Acknowledgements
The author would like to acknowledge all the youth participants for their passion, participation and sharing of their valuable insight and expertise. The author would also like to acknowledge Lauren Akbar, Richard Carothers and Noah Keneally for their incredible co-design and co-facilitation role in the youth conference and input into this article.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Note on contributor
Laura Helen Virginia Wright holds an MEd in Sociology and Equity Studies in Education from the Ontario Institute School of Education, University of Toronto and is a Master of the Arts in Global Leadership candidate, Royal Roads University. Her research interests include: children and youth’s meaningful participation, leadership, non-formal education, and child protection. She is a child protection specialist at Right To Play International. She values networks and collaboration and is an active member of the International Child Protection Network of Canada, International Child Safeguarding in Sport Founders Group, Children’s Rights Academic Network (CRAN), and the Canadian Children’s Rights Education Week Working Group.
Notes
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14 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989, entered into force 2 September 1990, in accordance with article 49.
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32 Youth Participant, ‘Barriers to Participation’ (presentation at the Facilitating International Child Participation in Child Protection Conference, Toronto, Ontario, 7 October 2016).
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35 Youth Participant, ‘Barriers to Participation’ (speech presented at the Facilitating International Child Participation in Child Protection Conference, Toronto, Ontario, 5 October 2016).
36 Sinclair, ‘Participation in Practice’, 106–18; Wright et al., The Participation of Children and Young People in Developing Social Care.
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39 Jo Boyden, ‘Closing Statement’ (speech presented at the Facilitating International Child Participation in Child Protection Conference, Toronto, Ontario, 6 October 2016).