minimum standards for consulting with...

MINIMUM STANDARDS FORCONSULTING WITH CHILDREN

Inter-Agency Working Group on Children’s Participation

Minimum Standards for Consulting with Children

© 2007 Inter-Agency Working Group on Children’s Participation (IAWGCP)

Published in Bangkok in 2007 by the Inter-Agency Working Group on Children’s Participation (IAWGCP):ECPAT International, Knowing Children, Plan International, Save the Children Alliance, UNICEF EAPROand World Vision

Design and layout: Keen Media (Thailand) Co., Ltd.

ISBN: 978-974-09-4874-2

Copies of this publication can be downloaded at: www.iawgcp.com

Print copies of this publication can be obtained from:

Plan InternationalAsia Regional Office18th floor, Ocean Tower 2 Building75/24 Sukhumvit 19 RoadKlongtoey Nua, WattanaBangkok 10110 ThailandTel: +66 (0)2 204 2630-4Fax: +66 (0)2 204 2629E-mail: [email protected]/asia/

FOREWORDThe recognition of children’s right to give their opinions toadults making decisions on their behalf was one of theinnovations of the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights ofthe Child. Article 12, in which this right is enshrined, wasidentified by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, atits first session, as one of the fundamental principles of theConvention. One result has been increasing pressure oninternational bodies to include children in internationalmeetings at which their welfare and rights are discussed,with many examples of successful inclusion of Under-18delegates in public debates. Indeed, children were apositive force during the Committee on the Rights of theChild Day of General Discussion on Article 12, in October2006.

These processes should be – and usually are – beneficial tochildren. Nevertheless, some experiences have been lesssuccessful than others and it has been suggested thatchildren’s right to participate in events and meetings maybe achieved at the expense of other rights, particularlytheir rights to be protected from risk and harm. Althoughchildren’s presence in meetings has been extensivelydescribed, the processes through which their safety, healthand effective participation have been assured have beenless-well-documented.

Thus, the publication of the minimum standards forchildren’s participation in events and meetings away fromtheir home base is particularly welcome, especially as itincludes a detailed operations manual containing practicalguidance about how to achieve these standards, from thefirst invitation to a meeting to follow-up activities afterchildren return home. This is a major contribution toglobal efforts to increase the quality and effectiveness ofchildren’s participation, based on systematic experiencesin preparing children for meetings, facilitatingrepresentative selection of children, ways of involvingthem in adult discussions, modes of facilitating theircontributions and including these in outcome documents.

Although founded on the principles governing children’srights, these minimum standards are not mere theoreticalideas. Together with the Operations Manual, they representthe joint efforts of a group of organizations, based inSoutheast Asia and experienced in the theory and practiceof children’s participation, to ensure that the presence ofchildren at the 2005 Regional Consultation in Bangkok,under the UN Secretary-General’s Global Study on ViolenceAgainst Children, was meaningful, appropriate, adequatelyresourced and safe. After evaluating the experiences gainedin that process as well as the minimum standards and

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The IAWGCP members emphasize that the standards theypropose are only the minimum by which children’s rightscan be assured when they take part in major meetings andevents. Readers and users of this guide are invited toimprove on both minimum standards and operationsmanual, ideally including children’s opinions when makingsuch adaptations, as was the case with some processeswithin the development of the original minimum standards.Children’s participation is still in its infancy and muchremains to be learned, not least how to ensure thatchildren are involved in decision making at national,community and family levels. Yet this publication is awelcome and significant contribution to both the theoryand practice of children’s participation.

Jaap E. Doek

Former Chairperson of the UN Committeeon the Rights of the Child

operations manual used, the original sub-group onchildren’s participation serving the Steering Committeefor the Regional Consultation decided to continue theircollaboration as the Inter-Agency Working Group onChildren’s Participation (IAWGCP). Their first task was todevelop a generic form of the minimum standards andoperations manual used in the Consultation, which can beused to guide those responsible for children’s participationin any meeting or event in which their opinions aresought. By setting standards, as well as giving detailedguidance about how they may be achieved, thispublication is essential reading for anyone shoulderingthis responsibility.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe Minimum Standards on Consulting with Children andthe associated Operations Manual were developed as partof a process to ensure meaningful and high-qualitychildren’s participation in the UN Study on Violence againstChildren East Asia and the Pacific Regional Consultationand associated meetings. Thus, many individuals, especiallychildren and technical experts, as well as national andinternational non governmental organizations andintergovernmental organizations have contributed to,provided invaluable advice on and otherwise influencedthe final text. The East Asia and Pacific Steering Committeeon Violence against Children, which organized theConsultation, supported meaningful children’s participationthroughout the process.

Helen Veitch, child-participation consultant, organizedchildren’s participation at and for the RegionalConsultation. Helen compiled information from a variety ofsources, developed and wrote the Minimum Standards andOperations Manual, including piloting and improving thecontent based on a six-month evaluation project. TheInter-Agency Working Group on Children’s Participation(IAWGCP) would like to express heartfelt appreciation andthanks to Helen for her dedication and skill in successfullycompleting this immense task.

The IAWGCP would also like to express appreciation forthe work of the members of the East Asia and PacificSteering Committee on Violence against ChildrenSub-group on Children’s Participation – Henk van Beers,Mattias Bryneson, Judith Ennew, Manuel Finelli, DominiquePierre Plateau, Kritsana Pimonsaengsuriya and JunitaUpadhyay – for their leadership, technical input and advice.

A number of individuals supported the piloting process,contributed sections and provided feedback on variousdrafts. Sincere thanks are due to Ratjai Adjayutpokin, ErnieCloma, Suki Dixon, Amalee McCoy, Guy Thompstone, JayWisecarver, and the representatives of National FocalAgencies for Children’s Participation for the RegionalConsultation. Karen Emmons skilfully completed thechallenging task of editing the final text from a sometimesbewildering variety of different drafts.

Particular gratitude must be expressed to the youngpeople who helped pilot the material and providedfeedback on the children-friendly information and MinimumStandards: Michael Bendall, Maria Corazon M Buala,Margarita Harou, Casey Havercamp, Wah Man Yin Minnie,Samuela Rawala Raika, Nos Werao, and the staff andstudents of Garden International School, Bangkok.

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Last, but very much not least, thanks are due to all thechildren and young people who supported and participatedin the UN Study on Violence against Children consultationsin East Asia and the Pacific.

The Minimum Standards and Operations Manual havedrawn on publications, toolkits and other materials fromseveral different organizations, including resources fromECPAT International, FICE Scotland (FédérationInternationale des Communautés Educatives, Scotland),ILO-IPEC Sub Regional Office for East Asia, the Save theChildren Alliance and World Vision Asia Pacific.

This publication was developed by the East Asia andPacific IAWGCP and made possible with the support of itsmember organizations – ECPAT International, KnowingChildren, Plan International, Save the Children Sweden,Save the Children UK, UNICEF EAPRO and World VisionAsia Pacific.

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CONTENTS

Foreword 3

Acknowledgements 5

Introduction 9

Why generic standards? 10

What are minimum standards? 11

Who are minimum standards for? 12

The process of establishing standards 13

About these Minimum Standards 18

Principles of children’s participation 18

Glossary 20

The minimum standards 22

Before the consultation 22

During the consultation 30

After the consultation 36

Useful websites and publications 37

(Etherton, 2002; Ennew et al, 2004). In particular, a 2004research assessment focused on the participation of childrenfrom the East Asia and Pacific region in the Special Sessionand related international forums; while the researchershighlighted the vision and commitment of the organizinggroup of agencies, they identified several potential or actualviolations of children’s rights:

■ Selection processes that were not always transparentor representative;

■ Negative or paternalistic attitudes among adults;

■ Failure to protect children adequately from potentialthreats to their health and well-being or from abuseand exploitation;

■ Inadequate preparation of children for their roles in theforums;

■ Lack of follow up after the events.

In addition, the researchers noted growing internationalconcern about the approaches used for involving childrenin international adult settings in which children have littleor no influence on the actual decision-making process.Much of the blame for these shortcomings was placedon a lack of forward planning, particularly unrealisticbudgeting, and failure at the regional level to collaborate

INTRODUCTIONSince the 1990 World Summit for Children in New York,children have increasingly been involved in internationalevents and meetings in which their rights and welfare arediscussed. The rationale for this is usually described as their‘right to give an opinion’ on matters concerning their lives(Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rightsof the Child, 1989). However, their involvement in makingdecisions remains limited, and they may have no actualplace at the decision-making table.

Children’s participation in international meetings andconferences is limited by adult control over:

■ The resources required for children to attend;

■ The topics of discussion;

■ The agenda and procedures of the meeting;

■ The selection process;

■ The topics on which children are asked to give theiropinions.

Over the years, many of these issues have been addressedto a certain extent. Nevertheless, two separate evaluationsof children’s participation in the United Nations GeneralAssembly’s Special Session on Children in May 2002(Special Session) highlighted certain concerns

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Why generic standards?Children have a right to be consulted when issues thatconcern them are being discussed. To a greater or lesserdegree, almost all issues concern children. Involvingchildren in formal consultations is one way of fulfilling thisright. However, organizers of formal consultations typicallyface a number of challenges that need to be dealt with toensure children can indeed fully exercise their right to beheard.

As a result of their participation in previous formalconferences, there has been an increasing awarenessamong decision makers and the general public of the needto involve children in meetings. The advantages of includingchildren and their views are:

Improved decision-making processes. Through jointdecision making with adults and/or the lobbying ofdecision makers, children can influence policies andpractice. Involving children in conferences can ensurethat discussions are grounded in children’s realities andlead to improved decisions.

Better understanding of children’s capacities. Byinteracting with children, adults gain a betterunderstanding of children’s concerns, their capacities andtheir rights.

fully with national organizations working with children inparticipatory processes.

Thus, in 2003, when the same group of organizations in theEast Asia and Pacific region began discussing theparticipation of children in a regional consultation to takeplace in 2005 for the UN Secretary-General’s Global Studyon Violence Against Children, they decided to build onlessons learned through previous collaboration. Thisentailed developing an adequate plan, including sufficientresources, for children’s participation in this consultation.A long-term aim was to use the regional consultation topromote local-level, institutionalized participation ofchildren in decision-making processes as a foundation fortheir meaningful representation at regional and otherinternational events. The immediate goal was to ensure thatchildren’s rights to participate were not achieved throughthe violation of other rights. To achieve this, theorganizations agreed to establish a set of minimumstandards for children’s participation in internationalmeetings. Many further lessons were learned whiledeveloping these standards for the regional consultation.In evaluating the young delegates’ contribution to thatmeeting and the effectiveness of the minimum standardsand associated protocol, the organizing committee forchildren’s participation recommended establishing genericstandards for use in the East Asia and Pacific region andelsewhere.

MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CONSULTING WITH CHILDREN

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What are minimum standards?Minimum standards are statements of the lowest acceptablelevel of practice by both adults and children to ensuremeaningful children’s participation in a formal consultationor conference. Minimum standards ‘draw a line’, statingwhat is and is not acceptable for children’s participation.

In general, minimum standards need to be:

1. Adhered to: They should have monitoring mechanismsand sanctions if they are not all met;

2. Non-negotiable: They draw a line to show what isacceptable or not acceptable;

3. Transparent: Clear criteria for each standard givedetails of the steps an agency needs to take;

4. Permanent: They are fixed and followed consistentlyand constantly;

5. Agreed upon: One organization or group isaccountable for them (the organizing committee)and key implementing agencies for the standards(local partners) understand and agree on them.

In addition, minimum standards must be based on the UNConvention on the Rights of the Child, particularly, Articles2, 3, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 34 and 36. In summary:

Greater public awareness about participation. High-profile media events provide visibility and allow childrento communicate their concerns and demands. Includingchildren in conferences demonstrates children’s right totake part in events that concern them and helps topromote a culture of participation in the organizationsinvolved.

Improved children’s knowledge and skills. Children canacquire information, knowledge and understanding byattending conferences, improving their leadership andcommunication skills. Children can also develop theirself-esteem and a greater sense of responsibility anddemocratic citizenship.

NOTE: Inviting children to participate in formal conferencesis only one option for consulting with children. There aremany valid alternatives. Experience shows that participatoryactivities with children at the local level, close to wherechildren live, encounter fewer constraints (and may oftenbe the preferred option) compared to formal events. Formalconferences or consultations are more effective when basedon a process of local activities with children.

Minimum standards for inviting children to formalconsultations or conferences can ensure that theirparticipation is of high quality and consistent, offeringchildren a genuine opportunity to express their views andto influence decision making.

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■ Children have rights to be listened to, to freely expresstheir views on all matters that affect them, to freedomof expression, thought and association, and of accessto information;

■ Participation should promote the best interests ofchildren and enhance their personal development;

■ All children have equal rights to participation, withoutdiscrimination;

■ All children have the right to be protected frommanipulation, violence, abuse and exploitation.

Who are minimum standards for?Primarily, the standards are for adults who are helping tofacilitate children’s participation in a consultation orconference. In particular, they apply to the following twogroups:

a) Organizing committee. This is usually a team ofpeople representing different organizations or differentparts of one organization, who have the task oforganizing an event that involves children. They mayneed to raise funds and to supervise appropriate staffto run the event. Typically, an organizing committee isthe main decision maker for an event and decides howit will be run (and consequently how children’s

participation will be organized). The committee oftenconsists of policy or programme management staffwho are likely to be involved in the event itself.

b) Agencies sending children to participate in the event.

This group usually works more closely with childrenbecause they are responsible for selecting andpreparing children to attend the event. They may alsobe involved in selecting and preparing suitable adultsto accompany children, as well as organizing follow-upactivities with children. For the purposes of thisdocument, this group is called local partners.Local partners include policy or programmemanagement staff who work with children at a morelocal level than the organizing committee.

The following groups of people typically implementminimum standards: an event’s management team(public relations, programme officers, administration,coordinators, rapporteurs, documenters), event facilitators,accompanying adults or ‘guardians’, translators, venue andhotel staff (including security personnel), child-protectionofficers, medical staff, adult participants or delegates to anevent, parents or carers, media, the hosting organizationand the children who attend.


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The process of establishing standardsIn October 2003, the organizations involved in enablingchildren from the region to attend the Special Session jointlyset up a Regional Steering Committee for the UNSecretary-General’s Global Study on Violence AgainstChildren (UNVAC). At its first meeting, the SteeringCommittee created a separate coordinating group to workon children’s participation issues. Over time, this developedfrom a group sharing information by e-mail to an AdvisoryGroup on Children’s Participation, which directly supporteda consultant charged with managing all aspects ofchildren’s participation in the regional consultation for theUN Study, in June 2005.

Objectives

The Steering Committee’s primary purposes were toensure:

■ Participation of children in the regional consultationprocess, giving them equal voice with adultparticipants and ensuring that their views werereflected in all outcome documents;

■ Wide participation in the process among government,civil society and children.

The Advisory Group on Children’s Participation expandedthese general principles into several desired outcomes:

■ Children would present and discuss children’sexperiences of violence in their own country ratherthan provide personal testimonies;

■ A transparent and fair process should be used in theselection of these children, who would, for practicalreasons, be regarded as delegates rather than asrepresentatives;

■ Children would be well prepared and properlyinformed before the regional consultation by meetingfirst in a separate forum;

■ The children’s forum would prepare, enable andempower children as far as possible for their roles inthe regional consultation. This would mean that therewould be no separate (parallel) meetings with childrenduring the regional consultation. Based on manyexperiences, the Advisory Group believed that childrenoften had no real interaction with adults duringparallel meetings;

■ Children would be equal participants alongside adultsand thus be referred to as ‘under-18 delegates’. Theiropinions would be valued equally with those of adultsand taken into consideration. The final outcomedocument would reflect the views of both adults andchildren. No separate ‘children’s statement’ or‘declaration’ would be produced, unless childrendecided otherwise.

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The minimum standards strategy

Several measures were used to reach these goals. The first,and most important, of these was the development andimplementation of minimum standards on children’sparticipation for the regional consultation. The term‘minimum standards’ referred to the most basicrequirements of the Steering Committee and the agenciessponsoring under-18 delegates to the consultation.

To ensure that both organizations and individuals fullyunderstood and adhered to those standards, a protocol(or manual) containing details of all necessary workingdocuments and procedures was created to providestep-by-step guidance.

The Steering Committee hired a consultant to developthe minimum standards and the protocol, to manage thepreparations and then to oversee the meaningful and safeparticipation of children in the regional consultation. Theconsultant also documented the process of developing,administering and evaluating all stages of children’sparticipation in the consultation.

In each country, National Focal Agencies (NFAs) took thelead in facilitating national consultations with children andensuring that children who would attend the regionalconsultation were properly selected and well prepared.NFAs were also responsible for administrative and logistical

issues in relation to the participation of children. Thisincluded obtaining signatures to voluntary consent formsfrom both children and their parents, as well as providingreliable guardians to accompany them.

NFA representatives met in April 2005 in Bangkok todiscuss the UN Study process and children’s involvementin the regional consultation. This meeting also providedan opportunity for discussing the principles and first draftof the minimum standards and protocol. Thus, the NFAmeeting was an important step in:

■ Promoting national ownership of the minimumstandards;

■ Stimulating support for children’s participation at thenational level;

■ Building capacity among NFAs on participatoryprocesses;

■ Identifying gaps in the preparations for the regionalconsultation.

To help prepare children for selecting others to representthem as well as to help selected under-18 delegates betterunderstand the consultation and their roles in it, theconsultant developed a children-friendly booklet (which wastranslated where necessary).


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National-level preparations

Prior to the regional consultation, and often associatedwith under-18 delegate selection process, ten countries inthe East Asia and Pacific region conducted nationalconsultations on violence, in most of which childrenparticipated. These national consultations gave nationalunder-18 delegates a mandate from their peers. Inaddition, the recommendations adopted at the nationalconsultations were used as the basis for discussion duringthe children’s forum. Through these national and localconsultations, a total of 6,001 children were consulted,providing recommendations and ideas for solutions thatlater informed discussions among the under-18 delegatesin the children’s forum.

Adults were also prepared for the participation of childrenin the regional consultation. All delegates, whether olderor younger than 18 years, received a background paper onchildren’s participation and a copy of a child-protectionpolicy for the consultation.

Regional consultation, June 2005

In addition to the consultant, who coordinated all activitiesrelevant to children, a number of other professionals werecontracted to ensure the meaningful and safe participationof the young delegates. Guardians were recruited andchecked by the sponsoring organizations. These guardians

accompanied the children from their homes to and fromBangkok and throughout the children’s forum and regionalconsultation.

In addition, the children were protected and facilitated by:

■ A children’s participation coordinator in charge oflogistical issues in relation to participation during thechildren’s forum and regional consultation;

■ A child-protection officer with overall responsibility forall aspects of child protection during the regionalconsultation. The child-protection officer was the firstpoint of contact for any child-protection concerns forchildren, the Regional Steering Committee (SteeringCommittee) and all participants (both delegates andstaff) at the consultation;

■ A lead facilitator for the children’s forum as well as forchildren’s involvement in the consultation;

■ A second facilitator to guide the team of volunteerswho supported working-group sessions during theconsultation so that children’s participation waspromoted without violating their rights. Thesevolunteer facilitators were recruited from amongconsultation participants and were instructed to makesure that children had appropriate opportunities to joinin discussions with adults;

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■ Translators/interpreters for children whose firstlanguage was not English to translate simultaneouslythroughout the children’s forum and the regionalconsultation;

■ A media coordinator to ensure that children were notexploited by journalists and photographers;

■ A nurse, who was present and available forconsultation at all times.

Children’s forum

The children’s forum took place during the two daysbefore the regional consultation. As preparation, SteeringCommittee members talked of their experiences inattending international meetings. In addition, the facilitatorhelped the under-18 delegates discuss many aspects ofviolence against children, using role play and othertechniques. Those interested in the role of spokespersonwere trained for interviews with journalists.

Working in groups, the under-18 delegates discussed thenature of violence in the UN Study’s six categories in theircountries and the recommendations they had broughtfrom their national consultations. They then produced adocument outlining combined suggested solutions to andrecommendations on the problem of violence againstchildren in the East Asia and Pacific region. This documentwas the basis of the under-18 delegates’ PowerPointpresentation on the first morning of the consultation. The

document proved to be an excellent tool, both insupporting under-18 delegates’ discussions in workinggroups during the consultation and for measuring theinfluence they had on the Outcome Statement. Slightlymore than half of the recommendations in the OutcomeStatement were related to the under-18 delegates’recommendations.

Under-18 delegates’ participation in the regional

consultation

The regional consultation took place in Bangkok from14-16 June 2005, with 289 delegates, including 26 youngerthan 18 years (12 boys and 14 girls ranging in age from 12to 17). During the consultation, time was equally splitbetween plenary and working-group discussions. To ensurecontinuity and depth of discussion, each delegate remainedin one of the six thematic working groups throughout theconsultation. The under-18 delegates had preparedthemselves during the children’s forum to take an activepart in the working-group sessions and to highlight theirconsolidated recommendations.

Evaluation

Evaluation results from delegates and members of theSteering Committee indicate that the regional consultationended with a general feeling of accomplishment. Under-18delegates generally stated that they felt they hadparticipated with equal status to adults throughout the


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plenary and working-group sessions. They said that theywere listened to and their views respected and taken intoaccount (Veitch, 2005).

The evaluation process also identified key lessonsregarding the minimum standards and protocol. Thegeneral conclusion was that the minimum standardsstrategy had been successful in ensuring meaningful andethical participation of children in the regional consultation,especially in setting up systems and marshalling resourceswithin the current stage of development of children’sparticipation within countries. On the basis of the lessonslearned, the minimum standards and protocol wereamended and given limited electronic circulation forfurther feedback.

Inter-Agency Group on Children’s Participation

After the regional consultation, the Advisory Group onChildren’s Participation became the autonomousInter-Agency Group on Children’s Participation1 and setabout developing generic minimum standards andprotocol for guiding and endorsing meaningful, ethical andsafe children’s participation in formal consultationprocesses. This generic model is now entitled the MinimumStandards for Consulting with Children and the OperationsManual on Children’s Participation in Consultations.

However, the member organizations of the Inter-AgencyGroup have emphasized that involving children ininternational events and meetings is not always the mosteffective way of getting young people’s opinions andexperiences represented at such levels of decision making.The minimum standards have been developed in relationonly to formal processes of consultation and do not applyto children’s participation practice in general. Formalmeetings between children and adults will probably alwaysreflect the relative power of adults. Regardless of theextent to which children’s equal status at meetings isstressed, it is adults who call the meetings and setagendas. Moreover, unless they are carefully administered,the minimum standards could even be misused as a toolthrough which adults might deny children, or certain groupsof children, access to public forums.

Nevertheless, the intention of these generic minimumstandards and the supplementing operations manual is topromote the effective, meaningful and ethical participationof children in international forums in which they areencouraged to make their contribution as world citizens.

1 Members of the East Asia and Pacific Interagency Group on Children’s Participation are: UNICEF EAPRO, Plan International, Knowing Children, ECPATInternational, Save the Children Sweden, Save the Children UK, World Vision.

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2 These principles are adapted from the principles of participation outlined in ‘Draft Practice Standards in Children’s Participation’ by Save the ChildrenAlliance.

About these Minimum StandardsThe following Minimum Standards on Consulting withChildren (Minimum Standards) were developed as amulti-agency tool to facilitate and support the participationof children in formal consultations. They are based on ayear-long pilot project of participatory activities at thenational and regional levels as part of the United NationsStudy on Violence against Children.

The standards are organized in a step-by-step format,outlining those that need to be met before, during andafter a consultation. Alongside each standard is a list ofcriteria that details the steps to be taken. Relevantguidelines or procedures that should help implement thestandard are also included. The package of procedures,guidelines, forms and briefing papers (the OperationsManual on Children’s Participation in Consultations)supplements the Minimum Standards. The MinimumStandards describe what agencies need to do to ensure thatchildren participate meaningfully in a formal consultation.The Operations Manual describes how agencies can goabout putting these in place.

Principles of children’s participationThese Minimum Standards are based on five principles ofparticipation:2

1. Transparency, honesty and accountability

What do we mean? Adults involved in consultations withchildren follow ethical and participatory practice and putchildren’s best interests first.

Why is it important? There are inevitable imbalances inpower and status between adults and children.Transparency, honesty and accountability are needed forchildren’s participation to be genuine and meaningful.

Example: All opportunities for under-18 delegates to voicetheir opinions (through presentations or taking on tasks ata consultation, such as chairing a discussion) are wellplanned by consultation staff and clearly communicated tothe under-18 delegates – with ample opportunity for themto prepare.

2. A children-friendly environment

What do we mean? Children experience a safe, welcoming,inclusive and encouraging environment that enablesparticipation.


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Why is it important? The quality of children’s participationand their ability to benefit from it are strongly influencedby the efforts made to create a positive environment fortheir participation.

Example: Small, facilitated, working-group sessionsform the basis of discussions and decision making in aconsultation.

3. Equality of opportunity

What do we mean? Participatory work should includegroups of children who typically suffer discrimination orwho are often excluded from activities, such as girls,working children, children with disabilities and ruralchildren.

Why is it important? Children, like adults, are not ahomogeneous group. Participation should provide forequality of opportunity for all regardless of age, location,ethnicity, gender, abilities, class, caste or other factors.

Example: Professional translators able to makesimultaneous translation on a one-to-one basis are providedfor all under-18 delegates who require language assistanceduring the course of the consultation.

4. Safety and protection of children

What do we mean? Involvement in a consultation must notexpose any young delegate to threats or actual harm towell-being. A child’s safety and health is considered in everypossible way, with safeguards put in place. This includesboth physical and emotional well-being.

Why is it important? Organizations have a duty to protectthe children with whom they work and to minimize the riskof abuse and exploitation or other negative consequencesas a result of their participation.

Example: A formal procedure is set up to allow anyunder-18 delegate to make a complaint, in confidence, aboutany issue concerning involvement in the consultation.

5. Commitment and competency of adults

What do we mean? Adults working with children arecommitted to the aim of consulting with children and aretrained and supported to carry out participatory practices.

Why is it important? Adults can only encourage genuinechildren’s participation effectively and confidently if theyhave the necessary understanding and skills.

Example: All consultation staff receive briefings and/ortraining on children’s participation and the specificprocedures developed for a consultation.

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GLOSSARYAdult delegate Any participant in a consultation who is older than 18.

Child A person younger than 18.

Child-protection focal person A person who is responsible for child protection at a consultation, for running acomplaints procedure and ensuring everyone at the consultation is appropriatelybriefed on the child-protection policy.

Children’s participation A person who is responsible for coordinating activities related to children’scoordinator participation for a consultation, managing staff (the support team) and liaising

between local partners and the organizing committee.

Consultation A formal conference or meeting (with results that are recognized or that feed intoother activities) that takes place at an international, regional, national or local level.The event may be part of a process of consultation at different levels.

Consultation staff A team of staff employed by the organizing committee who are responsible fororganizing the logistics of the event. The team could include a consultation organizer,administration staff, programme staff (with responsibility for content), mediapersonnel as well as a children’s participation coordinator.

Content/issue The subject to be discussed during a consultation (such as violence against children,HIV and Aids, and the internet).

Criteria Details of the steps an agency needs to take to meet all standards.

Facilitator A person who is responsible for ‘facilitating’, or helping, children to express theirviews in public, using a variety of techniques. Facilitators are generally employedspecifically for consultations.


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Guardian An adult accompanying an under-18 delegate. Guardians have responsibility for thatunder-18 delegate’s safety and welfare.

Local area This can mean region/country or province depending on the level of the consultation.For example, ‘There is opportunity for two children from each local area to attend.’

Local partner An organization responsible for selecting, preparing and following up with childrenwho participate in a consultation.

Media coordinator A person who is responsible for coordinating media activities (and the media team)at a meeting or event.

Media team A group of people in charge of media activities at a meeting or event.

Organizing committee A group of people responsible for organizing a meeting or event.

Participation Participation, in this document, is about influencing decision making and achievingchange. Children’s participation is the informed and willing involvement of all childrenin any matter concerning them, either directly or indirectly.

Reserve An alternate under-18 delegate who participates in preparatory sessions and can takethe place of a delegate who cannot attend a meeting or event.

Risk assessment The process of identifying and assessing the risks to children involved in an activity(usually leading to an action plan to minimize those risks).

Support team A team of staff that specifically supports children’s participation in a consultation. Theteam might include a children’s participation coordinator (team manager), facilitators(and a lead facilitator), child-protection focal person and administration staff.

Under-18 delegate Any participant in a consultation who is younger than 18.

GLOSSARY

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THE MINIMUM STANDARDSBefore the consultation

Standard Criteria Relevant guidelines, forms and procedures

1. Planning of the event allows ■ The decision to involve children in a formal ■ Step-by-step guideappropriate time for organizing consultation and to implement the Minimum ■ Organizing committee guidelineschildren’s participation. Standards is made at least eight months before ■ Terms of reference for the organizing

the event is due to take place. And preparations committeestart very soon after this decision.

■ Clear terms of reference for the organizingcommittee and any subcommittees are finalizedby all involved before activities of the differentgroups begin.

■ Preparatory activities to involve children in theconsultation start at least six months before theevent.

■ A preparatory meeting for local partners isorganized at least five months before the mainevent.

■ Local preparatory meetings are organized atleast three months before the main event (theseare likely to be organized by local partners).

■ Follow-up activities are developed incollaboration with local partners and mutuallyagreed upon with the organizing committee priorto the main event.


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2. A realistic budget is made that ■ The organizing committee agrees on how ■ Step-by-step guideincludes all possible costs for finances will be managed before the budget is ■ Budget guidelineschildren’s participation. finalized. ■ Organizing committee guidelines

■ The organizing committee finalizes and agrees ■ Terms of reference for children’supon the budget at least eight months before participation coordinatorthe event.

■ Clear and transparent information on how costswill be covered is given to local partners.

■ Regular financial reports are made and thebudget is openly discussed at meetings of theorganizing committee.

■ Responsibility for raising the budget is allocated.

3. Children-friendly background ■ Before activities start, children-friendly ■ How to produce children-friendly documentsinformation on the event is information is produced that outlines the aims of ■ ‘What’s all this about…’produced, translated and shared the event and the roles and responsibilities of ■ Under-18 delegate participation agreementwith children. those attending (including under-18 delegates

and how they will be involved in the consultationprocess).

■ Local partners translate background informationinto native languages and share it with childrenin a timely manner.

■ Selected under-18 delegates are required to readand sign a participation agreement (which clearlyoutlines their role and responsibilities as anunder-18 delegate).

Before the consultation (continued)

THE MINIMUM STANDARDS

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4. A child-protection policy and ■ The organizing committee develops, approves ■ Child-protection policystrategy is developed for the and signs its child-protection policy. ■ ‘What’s all this about…’consultation. ■ All under-18 delegates, local partners, adult ■ All participation agreements

delegates and adults supporting children’s ■ Briefing note for hotel staff on childparticipation are informed of the policy. protection

■ All staff or volunteers contracted by the ■ Staff pamphlet on child protectionorganizing committee and local partners arerequired to comply with the policy.

5. A transparent and fair process is ■ Local partners develop systems to ensure that ■ Guidelines for selecting under-18 delegatesused in the selection of under-18 the selection process is fair and transparent and ■ Step-by-step guidedelegates for the event. that children are not discriminated against

because of age, gender, abilities, language,social origin, class, ethnicity, geographicallocation or any other reason.

■ Under-18 delegates are knowledgeable andinformed on the issues to be discussed at theconsultation.

■ Preparatory events are organized locally wherechildren select under-18 delegates from amongtheir peers and thus give them a mandate torepresent them.

■ The organizing committee implements a step-by-step registration process (for the participationof delegates at the event), with clear deadlinesfor each step. This process starts at least twomonths before the event takes place.


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6. All under-18 delegates are ■ Local partners distribute the guidelines for ■ Guidelines for selecting guardiansaccompanied to the consultation selecting guardians to suitable candidates. ■ Safeguarding check formby a suitable adult who will take ■ Local partners select guardians, with the ■ Consent formresponsibility for their safety and involvement of under-18 delegates. ■ Step-by-step guidewelfare (known as the ‘guardian’). ■ Local partners make safeguarding checks as

soon as a guardian has been selected.Registration for guardians does not proceedwithout the receipt of a positive safeguardingcheck.

■ Prior to departure, at least one meeting withunder-18 delegates and their guardians isorganized to help prepare the under-18delegates. The meeting should includediscussions on content and process of theconsultation, as well as logistical issues.



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7. Processes are established to ■ Local partners translate the consent forms into ■ Consent formensure that under-18 delegates appropriate languages for under-18 delegates ■ ‘What’s all this about…’are able to attend and have given and their parents or carers. ■ Step-by-step guidetheir personal informed consent ■ Local partners arrange a meeting with under-18for their participation. delegates, their guardians and their parents or

carers to explain the consent form and the rolesand processes of the consultation.

■ Selected under-18 delegates are given time toconsider their involvement before they signconsent forms to actually participate in an event.

■ The children’s participation coordinator closelymonitors the processing of signed consentforms so that the registration of an under-18delegate does not proceed without formalconsent.

■ Consent is obtained for the use of all informationto be provided to the media by or about under-18delegates. Information identified as confidentialmust be safeguarded at all times.


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8. Consultation staff, local partners, ■ Local partners are briefed on their role during a ■ ‘What’s all this about…’translators, guardians and meeting (hosted by the organizing committee) ■ All participation agreementsunder-18 delegates receive that should take place at least five months prior ■ Local partner guidelinesbriefings on their specific roles to the main event. This early meeting helps to ■ Organizing committee guidelinesand responsibilities. ensure that local partners discuss and agree ■ Terms of reference for staff/translators

upon the participatory process and ■ Guidelines for selecting guardians andchild-protection procedures. under-18 delegates

■ Documents outlining roles and responsibilities ■ Step-by-step guidefor staff, local partners, translators, guardiansand under-18 delegates are distributed topotential candidates and they are briefed beforethey take on their duties.

■ Under-18 delegates are briefed on their role,during a meeting with guardians and localpartners, before they sign consent forms.

■ Local partners brief the guardians on their roleduring the recruitment process. Thechild-protection focal person briefs them on thechild-protection policy before the preparatoryworkshop for under-18 delegates.

9. All under-18 delegates are fully ■ Insurance covers under-18 delegates during their ■ Organizing committee guidelinesinsured (medical and travel) travel to, and from, as well as during, the event. ■ Local partner guidelinesduring their participation at the ■ Briefing materials for under-18 delegates and ■ Consent formevent. their parents/carers clearly state where ■ Step-by-step guide

responsibility falls for insurance coverage. ■ Under-18 delegate registration form



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10. The venue for the consultation is ■ All areas in the venue are accessible to any ■ Organizing committee guidelineschildren-friendly and under-18 delegate with a disability.accessible. ■ The venue is able to accommodate small

discussion groups.■ An additional room is allocated for exclusive use

by under-18 delegates and their support team(including guardians, translators, facilitators andadministration staff).

■ Consideration of access to microphones is givenpriority in organizing seating arrangements forunder-18 delegates.

■ Under-18 delegates are given equalconsideration with adult delegates in seatingarrangements.

■ Room layouts facilitate translation with minimaldisturbance for delegates who do not need theservice.

11. A preparatory workshop for ■ A document is produced from the preparatory ■ Organizing committee guidelinesunder-18 delegates is organized workshop listing statements or ■ Working agenda for preparatory workshopimmediately before the recommendations from under-18 delegates ■ Preparatory workshop evaluation sheetconsultation to help prepare (agreed upon at the preparatory workshop).them. ■ This document is translated into mother-tongue

languages read by under-18 delegates and madeavailable to consultation organizers as a resource.

NOTE: All standards under ‘during the consultation’are also relevant when organizing a preparatoryworkshop.


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12. Facilitators are experienced at ■ Appropriate recruitment procedures are ■ Facilitator terms of referenceworking effectively and instituted to find experienced facilitators for the ■ Organizing committee guidelinesconfidently with under-18 consultation and preparatory meetings.delegates and able to facilitate an ■ Communication and coordination betweenenvironment that is facilitators at the preparatory workshop fornon-discriminatory and inclusive. under-18 delegates and consultation staff starts

at least one month before the event.■ All facilitators (at the preparatory workshop and

the main consultation) receive training onparticipatory techniques before they begin theirduties. Facilitation plans are discussed by all toensure roles and responsibilities are clear.

13. Staff specifically recruited to ■ Recruitment procedures for staff ask potential ■ Organizing committee guidelinesorganize the consultation are candidates to demonstrate their commitmentcommitted to children’s and/or experience in participatory practices.participation and are competent ■ All consultation staff receive briefings and/orin participatory practices. training on children’s participation and the

specific procedures developed for theconsultation.

■ A monitoring mechanism is developed to ensurethat all staff practise participatory andchildren-friendly processes.

■ Writing of terms of references is completed.


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14. One person is given responsibility ■ The child-protection focal person implements ■ Child-protection action planfor child-protection issues at the the following activities before the consultation ■ Child-protection risk assessmentconsultation (known as the begins: ■ ‘What’s this all about...’child-protection focal person). a) A risk assessment for under-18 delegates; ■ Child-protection team terms of reference

b) Setting up a team of child-protection officers; ■ Child-protection focal person terms ofc) Developing a step-by-step action plan for reference incidents and emergencies;d) Briefing all staff and delegates (including the production of appropriate briefing materials).

■ The child-protection focal person conducts dailybriefing meetings with guardians and thechild-protection team during the consultation.

15. A formal complaints procedure ■ The child-protection focal person is responsible ■ Child-protection focal person terms ofis set up to allow under-18 for developing and implementing the complaints referencedelegates to make a complaint in procedure. ■ Under-18 delegate participation agreementconfidence about any issue ■ Information about the complaints procedure is ■ ‘What’s this all about...’concerning their involvement in produced in a children-friendly format, translatedthe consultation. and distributed to all under-18 delegates.

During the consultation

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16. Under-18 delegates are given ■ All opportunities for under-18 delegates to voice ■ Organizing committee guidelinesequal opportunity with adult their opinions (through presentations or taking ■ Facilitator terms of referencedelegates to make statements, on tasks in a consultation, such as chairing a ■ Working agenda for preparatory workshoppresentations and voice their discussion) are well planned by consultationopinions at the consultation. staff and clearly communicated to under-18These contributions are reflected delegates – with ample opportunity for them toin any outcome documents from prepare.the consultation. ■ Small, facilitated working-group sessions form

the basis of discussions and decision making atthe event.

■ All decision-making processes at the event aretransparent and participatory (including howunder-18 delegates are selected for specifictasks).

During the consultation (continued)


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17. Appropriate systems are put in ■ The organizing committee translates key ■ Organizing committee guidelinesplace to ensure that under-18 documents related to the event (agenda or ■ Selection guidelines for guardiansdelegates are able to outcome statement, for example) and distributes ■ Local partner guidelinescommunicate in their mother them in good time to under-18 delegates. ■ Translator terms of referencetongue. ■ Professional translators able to make

simultaneous translation on a one-to-one basisare provided for all under-18 delegates thatrequire translation during the course of theconsultation.

■ Guardians provide translation for under-18delegates during the time they are not in theconsultation sessions (during travel, before andafter the consultation and on any excursions).

■ Training of translators on participatoryis instituted prior to the start of their work.Facilitators closely monitor the translation duringthe event and regular briefings betweenfacilitators and translators.


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18. Media activities follow an ■ The organizing committee appoints a media ■ Media guidelinesethical code. Children who speak coordinator to liaise between journalists and the ■ Child-protection focal person terms ofto the media are informed and under-18 delegates and work closely with the referenceprepared. child-protection focal person to make daily ■ Guidelines for media professionals

assessments of media activities. ■ Media release form■ The organizing committee develops media

guidelines in consultation with the media teamand both parties agree upon them before mediainteractions take place.

■ Informed consent is gained from under-18delegates before the taking of photographs,videos or digital images.

■ The organizing committee and media teamagree on how best to package the views ofunder-18 delegates for the consultation (throughvideo, photography and written work) and thesubsequent resources and preparation requiredto ensure under-18 delegates’ view points haveimpact on the media.

■ Guidelines for media professionals and othermaterials (press releases, for example) aredistributed to journalists.


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19. Under-18 delegates who take on ■ All under-18 delegates are informed of the ■ Media guidelinesmedia tasks are aware of the extent of media interest in the event and risks inimpact of doing media engaging with media.interviews and undertake risk ■ All under-18 delegates undertaking mediaassessments on the issue. activities receive comprehensive training prior to

any media interaction.■ All under-18 delegates are informed of their right

to refuse to engage with some or all forms ofmedia.

■ All under-18 delegates wishing to engage withthe media make risk assessments (incollaboration with their guardians and a mediaprofessional).

■ The media team assesses the risks on acase-by-case basis with under-18 delegates,with possible risks explained for each interview.

■ The media team makes certain that mechanismsare in place to ensure that under-18 delegateswho do not wish to engage with media areprotected from being approached by anyjournalist during the event.


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20. All delegates (adults and ■ Evaluation forms are distributed to under-18 ■ Organizing committee guidelinesunder-18s) are given the delegates during the preparatory workshop. ■ Selection guidelines for guardiansopportunity to evaluate their ■ Guardians have daily de-briefing sessions with ■ Guardian participation agreementparticipation practice during the under-18 delegates and report any concerns that ■ Under-18 delegate evaluation formconsultation (as part of the arise during those briefings to thescheduled activities). child-protection focal person.

■ Evaluation forms are distributed to under-18 andadult delegates before the end of theconsultation – adequate time is allocated forcompleting the forms.

21. Follow-up activities are ■ A meeting to discuss short-term and long-term ■ Organizing committee guidelinesfinalized and agreed upon during follow-up activities takes place during the ■ Follow-up guidelinesthe consultation. consultation, bringing together relevant ■ Step-by-step guide

organizations (such as governments, localpartners and the organizing committee).

■ Follow-up activities include opportunities forchildren and adults to review jointly anycommitments, and assess progress.


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22. Under-18 delegates are given ■ Local partners implement plans for under-18 ■ Follow-up guidelinesopportunities to feedback and delegates to report back to peers, projects or ■ Local partner guidelinesuse their experience of communities they are connected to (as well asparticipating in the consultation possible media interviews).with their peers or with projects ■ Local partners conduct de-briefing interviewsthey are connected to and with with under-18 delegates no later than onelocal communities or month after the consultation.organizations.

23. Under-18 delegates receive ■ The organizing committee produces and ■ Organizing committee guidelinesfollow-up documents from the distributes children-friendly versions of follow-up ■ Local partner guidelinesconsultation in their native documents to under-18 delegates.language and in an accessible ■ Local partners translate follow-up documentsformat. into the native languages of under-18 delegates

(and other children likely to receive them).

24. Local partners provide support to ■ Local partners implement follow-up activities ■ Local partner guidelinesunder-18 delegates so that they according to plans drafted and agreed upon ■ Follow-up guidelinescan be involved in follow-up before and during the consultation.activities from the consultation. ■ Local partners communicate back to the relevant

authorities or organizations any children’sassessments of progress in meetingcommitments made during the consultation.

After the consultation

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USEFUL WEBSITES AND PUBLICATIONS

Etherton, M., 2002, Creating a process fit for children:Children and young people’s participation in thepreparations for the UN Special Session on Children,Unpublished, Save the Children; also reproduced in anearlier version as Thanks for everything.

Steering Committee, 2005, What’s all this about the UNStudy on Violence Against Children RegionalConsultation East Asia Pacific?, Bangkok, SteeringCommittee for the East Asia and Pacific RegionalConsultation for the UN Study on Violence AgainstChildren.

UNICEF, 2005, Report on the East Asia and PacificRegional Consultation on Violence Against Children,Bangkok June 14 to 16, 2005, Bangkok, UNICEF RegionalOffice for East Asia and the Pacific.

Veitch, H., 2005, Evaluation report on children’sparticipation at the East Asia Pacific RegionalConsultation for the UN Study on Violence AgainstChildren, Bangkok, UNVAC Regional Steering Committee.

The Minimum Standards were produced by Helen Veitch,consultant on children’s participation.

Useful websites and publicationsCRIN Resource – Minimum Standards for Consultingwith Childrenwww.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?id=7932

ECPAT Internationalwww.ecpat.net

Knowing Childrenwww.knowingchildren.org

Plan Asia Regional Officewww.plan-international.org/asia/

Save the Children Sweden – Southeast Asia and PacificRegional Officewww.scswedenseap.org

UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Officewww.unicef.org

World Visionwww.worldvision.org

Ennew, J., Hastadewi, Y. and Plateau, D.P., 2004,Seen and heard: Participation of children and youngpeople in Southeast, East Asia and Pacific in events andforums leading to and following up on the United NationsGeneral Assembly Special Session on Children,May 2002, Bangkok: Save the Children Southeast, EastAsia and the Pacific Region.

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The CD-ROM in the back cover pocket contains the Operations Manual on Children’s Participation in Consultations,which is a package of guidelines, forms and briefing papers that supplement the Minimum Standards on Consultingwith Children. In the CD-ROM, the Operations Manual is provided in pdf format for reading and in Word formatfor inserting the necessary information into templates to use for specific purposes.

The Operations Manual is presented in ten sections as follows:

SECTION 1: PLANNING MATERIALS

SECTION 2: PREPARATORY MATERIALS

SECTION 3: SELECTION

SECTION 4: REGISTRATION FORMS

SECTION 5: BRIEFING MATERIALS

SECTION 6: CHILD PROTECTION

SECTION 7: PREPARATORY WORKSHOP

SECTION 8: MEDIA

SECTION 9: TERMS OF REFERENCE

SECTION 10: FOLLOW UP