Adolescent participation and civic engagement
When adolescents participate and contribute to social change, they build a better future for all
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Adolescents know their complex realities better than anyone else and have the right to be heard in all matters affecting them. By strengthening their skills and capacities, they can contribute to promoting inclusive societies and become a powerful source for change.
While many countries in the region have made progress in introducing mechanisms for youth participation, in general terms, adolescents and youth still have few opportunities for civic participation.
Adolescent participation is a human right and if we want to build a better future for all, we must ensure that their voices are heard and at the center of discussions.
"Children and adolescents are the change and our voices transform."
What do we do?
Adolescents and young people are at the heart of our work. That is why:
- We promote their capacity for agency and support the development of skills so that they have the competencies and confidence to understand their citizenship responsibilities and actively participate.
- We ensure that they claim and exercise their rights on issues that affect them, such as climate change, mental health, education and violence prevention.
- We encourage their opinions to be respectfully and seriously considered by those with the power and authority to act on them.
- We advocate for legislative and policy frameworks that institutionalize and regularize the participation of adolescent girls and boys.
- We support the construction of environments that enable adolescent participation.
- We work with adults to sensitize them on adolescents' right to participate, develop their listening skills, promote intergenerational dialogue and decision-making.
