Adolescent development and participation
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© UNICEF/EAP02733/YR |
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Young people making their own stories during a children's forum in Cambodia |
Children and young people have the right to be involved in the decisions that affect them. Their opinions and contributions make development programmes more effective, relevant and sustainable. Active participation also fosters confidence, self-esteem, civic responsibility and helps young people reach their potential. But children and young people – who represent over a quarter of our region’s population – are often discouraged from speaking up because of various constraints:
- Traditional family hierarchies discourage children and young people from participating. About 40 per cent of children in our region said in a UNICEF survey that their feelings and opinions were not given enough consideration at home.
- Social attitudes keep young people’s opinions excluded. In the UNICEF survey, children in Australia, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea and Viet Nam said it is difficult to talk to teachers about school-related problems. More than a third of our region’s children said their opinions and their friends’ opinions did not matter in their communities.
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© UNICEF/EAPRO00019/YR |
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Young people participate in the 7th Ministerial Consultation in Cambodia |
Children and young people who are well-informed, educated, self-confident and are involved in decisions are better able to protect themselves against HIV infection, human trafficking, exploitation and other challenges confronting our region. UNICEF supports programmes that encourage child and youth participation, including:
- Implementing the Child-Friendly School Framework, which focuses on child-centred learning methods and child-friendly environments;
- Supporting student associations and councils, after-school clubs and child-run media;
- Promoting peer education training for young people, especially in life skills, health and HIV/AIDS;
- Conducting child-led research on issues such as violence against children and exploitation, and
- Encouraging children’s representation in local government bodies and in policy making processes.
