Participation rights of young children

When it comes to children's participation it is rare to see involvement of children below the age of 8 years. Yet, very young children have the same rights to participation as any other children and they should be equally involved in matters that affect them.
Even a two year old child can be meaningfully involved in decision making. Take the example of a parent who prepares the clothes for her son to wear that day. It may well be that the boy says, 'I don't like this, I want to wear that!' The mother could then look at what the boy would like to wear and decide whether the clothes will suit the weather conditions. When they do, she could say, 'okay, fine, you can wear those clothes instead.' When the weather does not permit to wear the clothes the boy has identified, the mother should explain to her son that the clothes are either too hot/or too thin to wear given the circumstances. She can explain what the implications will be when he would wear the clothes he wants - catching a cold for example. This is a clear and simple example of children's involvement in decision making - in this case with a very young child. It typically happens within the family environment, it is not 'a big thing' but it may well be important for the child's development. The boy has been given an opportunity to be involved in a decision that affects him, he has been given choices, he has received information that will help him understand the implications of his choice. It also shows how the best interest of the child may play a role in such decisions - i.e. the mother's concern about her son's health in his choice of clothes to wear.

Over the years a number of articles have been published that look into young children's participation rights.

An important protagonist has been The Bernard van Leer Foundation who has been publishing Early Childhood Matters for many years.

Early Childhood Matters is a journal about early childhood. It looks at specific issues regarding the development of young children, in particular from a psychosocial perspective. It is published twice per year by the Bernard van Leer Foundation. Some of the issues have specifically focused on young children's participation rights:

Realising the rights of young children: progress and challenges

This issue looks at various aspects of how child rights are being realised. It starts with a look at General Comment 7 on implementing child rights in early childhood. Additional articles include contributions from child-focused organisations in India and Brazil, and discussions about child rights in relation to Roma children, the challenges of implementing child rights in emergency situations, the "forgotten article" regarding the right to play, improving child-friendliness of urban environments, improving the education of key professionals, and the development of indicators.

Young children's participation: Rhetoric or growing reality?

Raises the importance of providing participative environments to children in which they can express themselves readily, knowing they will be listened to. It presents an overview of current thinking at an international level on how young children can effectively play a role in programming and in decisions that affect their lives.

Listening to children

This edition focuses on participation by children of 0-7 years in the conceptualisation, implementation and evaluation of early childhood development programmes. Articles show how adults are taking the crucial steps in developing that participation: establishing environments and practices that enable young children to express themselves confidently and fully, and to develop some experiences in participation.

Effectiveness for children

Among the first publications looking at young children's involvement, this edition reviews ideas and programmes of work that seek the views of children and that value children as contributors to, and participants in, all aspects of early childhood development.

Other Bernard van Leer publications that specifically focus on rights of very young children, including participation rights, are:

A Guide to General Comment 7: Implementing Child Rights in Early Childhood

This book is a guide to implementing child rights in early childhood. It is based around the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's General Comment no 7. It contains extracts from the papers submitted to the committee at the time of the Day of General Discussion which preceded the General Comment, and other relevant material.

Can you hear me? The right of young children to participate in decisions that affect them. By Gerison Lansdown, May 2005.

This publication makes the case for children’s participation and discusses how it can be put into practice and measured.

Young children's participation: Rhetoric or growing reality?, November 2004.

This publication raises the importance of providing participative environments to children in which they can express themselves readily, knowing they will be listened to. It presents an overview of current thinking at an international level on how young children can effectively play a role in programming and in decisions that affect their lives.