Child participation
“When it comes to issues involving children, it just makes sense for children to have a voice too. I’m sure the decision-makers are really knowledgeable and have spent years studying, but sometimes people forget what it’s like to actually be a kid. Being a child today isn’t the same as it was 20 years ago. To really understand the issues children face, it makes sense to involve someone who’s actually living that experience.”
Child participation is both a right and a means to ensure that decisions and programmes reflect the needs and views of children.
Across Europe, child participation is at the heart of both Save the Children programming and advocacy ensuring that change is not only achieved for children but together with children.
Our work at the heart of communities
IN NUMBERS
32
projects and programmes across Europe dedicated to child participation
"It's better for us to stand up, raise our voices in order for other people to hear us. We should get our message across to other youths because as we know we live in a society in which not everyone is equal."
Spotlight on... The Netherlands
Speaking Minds
“During the Speaking Minds trajectory, students grew at an explosive rate. They learned to reflect on their selves and their needs, dared to speak out and embrace their feelings."
Objective
To engage young people in practical education in local policy discussions, ensuring their voices are meaningfully included in decision-making processes.
Key activities
Students collaborate with peers, experts, local organisations, and government officials to address policy questions on pressing issues such as poverty, safety, inclusion, and climate change.
Impact
In 2024, the initiative involved 18 projects engaging over 610 young people aged 13 to 25 and 119 policymakers across the Netherlands. This strengthened connections between youth and municipalities, fostering a sustainable platform for child participation in local governance and community affairs.
Spotlight on... Kosovo
Civic Space and Child Participation
Objective
To enhance the participation of children in civic space by identifying barriers and empowering child-led groups to advocate for their recognition and rights within Kosovo’s civil society.
Key activities
Starting in 2022, Save the Children Kosovo conducted a comprehensive assessment of the civic environment for child rights organisations under the Sida CSO Strengthening Programme. In 2023, children were directly engaged to co-create a child-friendly version of the civic space analysis, revealing that child-led groups face greater restrictions than adult-led organisations. Building on these insights, in 2024 children developed strategies to expand civic space specifically for informal youth groups and actively participated in public consultations on the Law on Youth, advocating for formal recognition of informal groups as legitimate civil society actors.
Impact
The initiative illuminated the unique challenges limiting children’s civic participation and empowered young people to influence policy. As a result, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports accepted children’s call to recognise informal groups as civil society actors, marking a significant step forward in promoting inclusivity and amplifying children’s voices in Kosovo’s civic space.
Spotlight on... Lithuania
Nordic Baltic Child Participation Advocacy Network
Objective
To strengthen child participation advocacy across the Nordic and Baltic regions through knowledge exchange and cross-border collaboration.
Key activities
This initiative connects stakeholders from Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia with organisations in Sweden that champion child participation. Through shared learning, participants explore effective methods for representing children’s views, gathering their input, and engaging member networks. The project also supports the establishment of a Baltic-Nordic advocacy network to foster ongoing collaboration.
Impact
Although still in its early stages, the project aims to equip around 60 stakeholders (20 from each Baltic country) with knowledge of Nordic best practices on child participation. It is expected to lead to the formation of national networks dedicated to promoting child participation in Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.
Spotlight on... Norway
On Equal Terms
Objective
To ensure all children and youth aged 13–19 can participate fully in society regardless of their background, through youth-led forums and initiatives.
Key activities
Youth forums in Oslo are facilitated by young adults from local communities who lead discussions on neighbourhood needs and develop youth-driven activities. The project hosts over 70 events annually, collaborates closely with local councils, and engages in exchanges with Save the Children Sweden to share and adapt best practices. Funding is provided by IMDI, DAM Development, District Søndre Nordstrand, and Erasmus+.
Impact
More than 2,000 young people have engaged in meaningful participation, enhancing their capacity to influence decisions affecting their lives and communities. The initiative has fostered sustained community and institutional support for youth empowerment.
Joint European work
Strengthening child participation across Europe
In 2024, Save the Children launched the European Child Participation Working Group to facilitate knowledge-sharing and strengthen coordination on child participation practices across the region.
Save the Children also piloted its European Child Advisory Board (CAB), with nine children aged 15–16 from Italy, Albania, Romania, and Sweden. The first meeting was held in May in Tirana, Albania, focusing on capacity-building and contributing to Save the Children Europe’s 2025–2027 strategy.
In October, CAB members played active roles as speakers at European Parliament events on migration, child poverty, prevention of online child sexual abuse, and EU enlargement.
The EU Child Participation Platform (CPP)
Save the Children continued as a core implementing partner of the EU Child Participation Platform, the first EU-level structure aimed at institutionalising child participation. By 2024, over 70 national and local mechanisms had joined the CPP, supporting consultation processes, peer learning, and large-scale events.
In June 2024, the platform held a working meeting “Create, Plan, Participate” in Brussels, co-organised and co-facilitated by children. A total of 36 children aged 10–17 reviewed the past two years’ work and planned ahead together.
Celebrating 35 years of the UNCRC
In November 2024, Save the Children, CRAG, and the re-established Intergroup on Children’s Rights marked the 35th anniversary of the UNCRC in the European Parliament. Fifteen children from across Europe participated, including 16-year-old Rea from Save the Children Kosovo, who spoke powerfully about the importance of children’s voices in decision-making.
Expanding Inclusive Child Participation Networks (ICPN)
In 2024, Save the Children Italy secured a CERV CHILD award (€1.4 million, 24 months) for the project Inclusive Child Participation Networks. The project aims to strengthen and systematise child participation across 11 countries.
The consortium includes 8 Save the Children offices (Italy, Finland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Spain, Albania, Romania, Denmark), 4 SOS Children’s Villages organisations (Italy, Finland, Greece, Bulgaria), and 5 European-level partners (Save the Children Europe, SOS CV International, Plan International Belgium, European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network, and European Association of Service Providers for People with Disabilities).
This is one of the most extensive initiatives to embed child participation in European decision-making processes to date.
LOOKING AHEAD
“If you don’t know that you have rights, how can you protect yourself?"
📌 Our focus
Recognising that meaningful change is impossible without children’s voices, we are strengthening and expanding the Save the Children European Child Advisory Body to include participants from more countries. We are committed to ensuring their meaningful participation in advocacy, empowering them to better understand their rights and the policies that affect them, and enabling them to share their views directly with EU and national decision-makers. At the same time, we are continuing our work through the EU’s Child Participation Platform, collaborating with children in preparation for the 2nd General Assembly and in consultations on critical issues such as child poverty and cyberbullying.
🔑 Our priorities
- Broaden representation of the Child Advisory Body across Europe
- Guarantee safe, inclusive, and impactful opportunities for children to influence EU and national policies
- Embed child participation as a standard practice in advocacy and programme design
📊 What’s next
At the EU level, a European Competence Centre for Child Participation will be launched to provide training and support on inclusive practices, under the ICPN initiative. In November 2025, a European Fair for Child Participation will be held in Brussels to showcase innovative and inclusive approaches across the region.
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