Council of Europe

CHILDREN'S PARTICIPATION

All citizens have the right to participate in the workings of democratic society and children as full rights holders are no exception. Children's participation means the right of children to be heard and involved in decision making, whether at home, in the general life of the community, at school or in individual legal and administrative matters that concern them.
Recommendation CM/Rec(2012)2 of the Committee of Ministers on participation of children and young people under the age of 18

Child participation assessment tool: indicators for measuring progress in promoting the right of children and young people under the age of 18 to participate in matters of concern to them

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Children's participation and the Council of Europe

The Committee on the Rights of the Child's General Comment 12 on the “Right of the Child to be Heard” was formally adopted during the 51st session in June. This new general comment brings further light to what participation really means. The fully edited version will come out in the coming weeks, but the editing should not affect the content of the General Comment.