Children's participation

Plan's work with communities is based on our model of Child Centred Community Development where we value children's ability and right to participate in and inform decisions about issues that affect them.

Children represent about a third of the world's population. Providing opportunities for children and young people to articulate their views and access information is integral to Plan's work, including children's involvement with media projects. Child-to-child clubs in Kenya have addressed the sensitive issue of HIV and AIDS in an open way, inspiring the adults in their communities to become involved in community efforts to prevent disease spread. Child journalists in Haiti spoke out against domestic violence on their radio show, forcing adults to respond.

"If children are allowed to participate in plans that concern them, and are not considered irresponsible, they will get organised and work alongside adults." Savita, India

The longer we ignore children's knowledge and abilities and view them simply as passive recipients of development efforts, the longer we will fail them.

Find Out More

Reflections on the World Bank's 2007 World Development Report
Download Plan's response to this year's World Bank's report, entitled `Development and the Next Generation' which focused on young people. Click here to read the full report.

Speak Out! Young People's Commission for Africa Report
Download the report including children's recommendations to world leaders

Children Changing Their World
Download Plan's report, which evaluates children's participation in a selection of our programmes

Children's Participation Conference
A one-day conference, organised by Plan UK in November 2003, provided an opportunity to share the findings of research commissioned by Plan on children's participation in development