1. Involving Children and Youth in Children’s Rights Advocacy
8th June 2018

2. Which country do you represent?

3. What is the first word that comes to mind when you hear “child participation”?

4. Why do you think Children should participate in Child Rights Advocacy?

5. Children can provide important insights that adults may not identify or prioritise. Children constantly prove to us that they are important actors, generating positive change for their peers and the community at large.
Save the Children

6. From your experience, place the following in order of importance:
Empowerment
Representation
Expertise
Learning experience (for the child)
To have fun
Save the Children

8. How would you, in general, describe participation in your country?

9. Formal Structures: Council for Children
The Office of the Commissioner for Children was set up in 2003 by the Commissioner for Children Act.
The Act also establishes a Council for Children which brings together the Chairperson of the Social Affairs Committee, representatives from various Ministries as well as 6 young people who are elected by their peers.
The main function of the Council for Children is to advise and assist the Commissioner in the performance of her functions.

10. The Council for Children meets once every three months.
The young council members are very active in the Council and attend regularly. They are youth ambassadors empowered to advocate for children’s rights.
The young people keep the adults in the room abreast with current trends and challenges that young people living in Malta face.
Each young Council member is on the Council for a period of two years.

11. Formal Structures: Youth panel
The Office of the Commissioner for Children forms part of the Maltese Safer Internet Centre – BeSmartOnline!
Aims to create awareness about the safe and beneficial use of the internet. The Office is responsible for Youth Participation.
A Youth panel has been set up in order to involve young people in the creation and dissemination of resources and to give direction to the work carried out by the Safer Internet Centre.

12. Informal Structures: Focus Groups
Two types of focus groups are used: outreach focus groups and topic specific focus groups.
Outreach focus groups: it is important to give all children an opportunity to participate therefore various sessions are held within the community either through schools or community centres etc....
Topic specific focus groups: these are sessions held with specific young people. For example children living in domestic violence shelters.

13. It is important to make sure that the young people feel comfortable at all times and enjoy forming part of these focus groups.
Sessions should be as interactive as possible and games/activities should be included also to ensure that they get to know each other and feel comfortable speaking within the group.
One must make sure that the sessions are age appropriate and allow enough time for young people to say what they want to say.
Once the young people give their ideas it is important to let them know what will happen with those ideas.

14. Non-formal Structures:
Rights 4U live-in
An annual Children’s Rights 3 day Live-in which ensures that “children are being given the opportunity to express their opinions, and that these are in fact considered”.
[Commissioner for Children Act 2003, Art. 9(b)]
The young participants in attendance make new friends whilst actively learning about their rights due to them under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This live-in is promoted in schools and open to young people between the ages of 13 and 15.

15. The Live-in also focuses on personal development as the young people develop critical thinking skills and build social ties.
For the past few years the theme was that of promoting healthy relationships particularly online relationships.
The Programme consists of various games and activities which enables the young people to get to know each other as well as empower them to engage in healthy relationships.
Issues discussed: cyber-bullying, sexting, grooming, digital footprint, recognising signs of unhealthy relationships and peer pressure.

17. Which form of participation do you use the most?
Which one works best for your organisation?

18. Involving Children on a National Level
We believe that children and young people should be involved in all discussions and decisions being made on their behalf.
National Children’s Policy – children involved in the drawing up of the Policy and will be involved in the monitoring.
Child-friendly version was drawn up by the Office.
Child-friendly version of National Guidelines on the Participation of Children in Political Campaigns.

20. Involving Children on a European Level
The Office supports many young people to participate in European Initiatives and strives to ensure that their voices are heard on a European Level.
Eurochild: - Focus Groups Eurochild Strategy 2019 – 2021.
- Support young people to be on their Youth
Advisory Group.
- Accompany young people to attend
Conferences.
Insafe: - Support Youth in youth initiatives.
- Accompany young people to attend Conferences.

21. ENYA
The Office has been participating in the ENYA initiatives since its inception in 2009.
ENYA has become part of the yearly work plan of the Office of the Commissioner for Children.

22. Key Challenges
One of the key challenges is motivation mostly because young people have very busy schedules and might find it difficult to attend such meetings.
Ensuring equal representation and involving different young people.
Empowering vulnerable groups to participate.
Resources and providing feedback.

23. What are your key challenges?

24. Thank You
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