1.Why do you think that children's participation rights matter?
I think that participation rights matter because no one is truly an expert on children, except themselves. Children are competent, capable human beings, and they know what they want and what they need. When it comes to the “best interest of the child”, adults may be trying to do what is best, but only the individual child can really say what is best for them. No two children are completely the same, so what is best for one child, may not be best for another. This is why it is important to take into consideration what they think is best for them, so that the “best interest” is really being considered. I also think that a child’s participation rights are important as a teaching tool, and I really like what Lansdown (2001) has to say on this. When children are able to participate and have their views and opinions heard and respected, I think it teaches them to listen to and respect other people’s views and opinions. I think these rights can be used as a way to teach children how to be good, respectful people.
2.How does the inclusion of children's participation in the UNCRC implicate States Parties that have ratified the treaty?
The UNCRC has laid out many different rights under the category of participation, by stating them so distinctly it puts responsibility on the State Parties that have ratified the convention to uphold these rights. It gives legal and concrete evidence that says that young people must be heard and taken seriously, so that if they are not there will supposedly be some sort of consequence.
3.What do children's participation rights have to do with citizenship and democratic processes that are inclusive and empowering?
Children’s participation rights empower them to get involved and create change. If no one was listening or taking children seriously, I imagine that they would get discouraged quite quickly. By making sure they know that they have these rights, they are empowered to exercise them. They are able to say that they need to be listened to, and that they deserve to truly be heard.
4.Given what you have learned about the possibilities and challenges of children's participation rights, how does the Shaking the Movers model meet these challenges? Are there gaps in the model? If so, how might the model be modified to address these gaps?
Shaking the Movers meets the challenges of children’s participation rights by providing them a space to participate in a meaningful way. It is a whole 2-day conference (or sometimes longer) where the purpose is to hear children’s and youth’s opinions on issues that pertain to their lives and create a report based on these opinions. It is not only a space for children to voice their views, but a space where these views will be heard by the people who are making policy and practice decisions (the ‘movers’) that affect the lives of children. As for gaps, it would be interesting to see how the topic for each conference is chosen, to see if children are involved from the very beginning of planning, or if they are just invited to participate in the conference. If they are simply participants, it would be interesting to see how the conferences might change if a child was the one choosing the topic and helping to organize the workshops.
5. Connections from Shaking the Movers Report
One connection I made between the Shaking the Movers 2007 report and my academic experience with children’s participation rights was with this quote, “The difference between tokenism and meaningful participation, is some kind of follow up, and being included from beginning to end.” I would say one of my first experiences with children’s participation rights was my Children in Research Methods class. This quote really resonates with the general sentiment of that class. Doing research with children is best and most effective when they are involved in the complete process, from beginning to end. When they can determine what research needs to be done, how it should be done, and what should happen with the results. I think that the Shaking the Movers conferences have a similar sentiment.
Another connection that I made with the report were the sections discussing opportunities and awareness. Every time that I learn more about children’s rights, specifically participation rights, I have the same thought… why was university the first time I learned about these rights. As a child myself I never knew the extent of my rights. This is a major issue, because how are children expected to exercise their rights, and how are adults supposed to uphold children’s rights, if no one really knows what the specific rights are. This is why I think that these types of conferences and workshops are so important, because they are not only giving children a space and chance to participate, they are also a space where children can learn what rights they have.