Enabling Child and Youth Participation in Poverty Eradication International Forum on the Eradication of Poverty November, 2006 Tracy Dolan Program Advisor Christian Children’s Fund

Who is CCF?  Christian Children's Fund creates an environment of hope and respect for children in need in which they have opportunities to achieve their full potential, and provides children, families and communities with practical tools for positive change.

Child Participation as part of CRC  What does the Convention on the Rights of the Child say about participation? “the child who is capable of forming his/her own views (has) the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child…” “…this right shall include…the freedom to seek, receive and impart information of all kinds…either orally,,in writing or in print, in the form of art or through any other media of the child’s choice.”

CCF’s Commitment to Promoting Child and Youth Agency How does CCF’s work reflect the concept of ‘child and youth agency’?  CCF’s Children and Poverty Study  Children’s Involvement in Program Planning  Children’s Involvement in Governance

Children and Poverty: Voices of Children  Why ask children?  Adult vs. child perspectives on poverty  How do children experience poverty - Deprivation, Exclusion, Vulnerability “Children do very little to alleviate poverty, they don’t have proper awareness or knowledge of it” (Adult, Sri Lanka) “We work so that the boys can go to school” (Adolescent girl, Sierra Leone)

Children’s Involvement in Community Development Programs  Children’s contribution to community development planning in Zambia  Children and youth as part of program review and reflection in Ecuador  What conditions need to be in place to involve children in planning?  How do they contribute to planning?

Children and youth in Los Bancos, Ecuador make plans to review progress of youth programs

Children in Governing Positions  Child participation in adult management vs. child leadership through child/youth federations

Lessons Learned  Children can contribute meaningfully to community development  All kinds of children need to be heard – including those who are often invisible  Adults need to learn how to support children’s participation in poverty eradication  Participation needs to be more concrete – not just a ‘concept’ – children and adults need real tools