Why child participation?
As Suna'nın Kızları, we believe that it is only possible for an ecosystem to enable girls to access education and achieve most attainments is through the participation of children and through girl-centered programming. We care about girls being decision-makers and having a say in all processes in all environments –home, school, neighborhood, society in the broadest sense–, and we work to create safe environments/ecosystems where girls can exercise their right to participate.
What is child participation?
Child participation as a right can be defined as children taking an active role in decisions on all matters that concern them. This definition includes supporting children to form opinions and to express their views freely, at the same time taking those views seriously. This right is guaranteed by Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Child participation is also one of the fundamental principles of the convention. And how do we plan to implement this? Adults' distrust of children's potential can be expressed as one of the obstacles for the realization of child participation. Therefore, meaningful realization of this right requires a transformation in adults’ perception of children.
As Suna’nın Kızları, we put child participation at the center of our work, and attach importance to the internalization of child participation by ourselves and our adult stakeholders. We know that meaningful child participation is a process.
According to United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child comment no 12 , we strive to ensure an accountable process to:
· develop the children, increase their capacity and consider their needs,
· create spaces where children can express themselves freely and feel safe,
· inform children that they can recall their depositions when they wish to do so,
· provide children an environment where they are actively heard by adults.
Within our sphere of impact we consult with children so that all children, especially girls, have the right to participate, while making plans to cooperate with them and enable them to form their own initiatives.
The principles of Suna’nın Kızları child participation,
· recognizes that children should be supported and adults’ awareness should be raised for the participation of children as a right,
· pays regard to the best interest of the child in every process where child participation exists,
· takes necessary measures so that children do not have additional negative/unhappy feelings following the developmental processes or interviews (e.g. flux, asking form, etc.).
· instead of setting the agenda for the children, creates safe environments where children can express their needs and set their own agenda.
· makes the most effort to be inclusive and to ensure diversity in participatory processes.
· reviews subjective views of children under the light of objective criteria, and assesses it for the high interest of all children.
