Adolescence

Full citizens, full rights

© UNICEF/HQ02-0097/Markisz

Children's Forum delegates hold a press conference for youth and other journalists at the Manhattan Centre in New York (USA)

Adolescents have the right to participate in matters that affect their lives, to be involved in family and community matters and to contribute and freely express their views and opinions. They have the right to access services and policies that promote their survival and personal development, including health care, education, skills and vocational training. Adolescents also have the right to protection against violence, discrimination, exploitation and abuse.

Adolescent rights are outlined in numerous international platforms, declarations, treaties and conventions including:

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), 
• Worlf Fit For Children (WFFC)
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW),
• International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994 and ICPD+5, 
• Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women and Beijing +5 in 2000, +10 in 2005
• World Programme of Action on Youth, 2005

These and other international, regional and national instruments spell out specific protections and rights for adolescent girls and call on governments to work towards eliminating gender discrimination and inequities.

Adolescents as active participants

Adolescents are at the centre of participation and action. Their active participation in projects and initiatives aimed at them, from assessment and planning, to implementation and monitoring, have informed and improved their livelihoods and contributed positively to their overall personal, social and economic development.

Participation is not just a gift bestowed on young people by adults, it is a fundamental human right for children and young people defined by the CRC. It is one of the fundamental rights of international law used to specify the rights of children and youth. The CRC gives special emphasis to participation by children and adolescents calling it a fundamental prerequisite for implementing all of the rights in the Convention itself. The right to participation is one of the four general CRC principles identified by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
 
Meaningful participation is essential to adolescent growth and development because it helps build the knowledge, skills and capacities of young people, especially adolescent girls historically denied a voice in decisions about their own lives. Through meaningful participation, adolescents learn important communication, negotiation and practical skills, assume civic responsibility and develop aspirations for the future.

But it is not only adolescents who benefit from their participation. Young people's participation improves the quality of interventions and programmes and brings direct and indirect benefits to their peers, families, communities and their society at large. Their involvement in project planning and implementation often provides a unique perspective and invaluable information and insight.  This will then improve the overall efficacy, relevance and sustainability of projects and interventions at local and national levels. 

The participation of adolescents can ultimately help break the cycles of exclusion, exploitation, poverty and violence that they and other young people in their countries experience everyday in their lives.