Meaningful participation: power, voice and change

What does participation mean?

Participation means more than just listening to children. It’s about actively involving them in shaping decisions, policies, and services. This is based on:

• Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which recognises every child’s right to express their views freely
• The understanding that street-connected children are experts in their own realities

Why does participation matter?

Street-connected children face marginalisation, stigma and exclusion, and are often left out of conversations about their lives. Meaningful participation:

• Builds self-esteem and agency
• Improves the relevance and effectiveness of programmes and policies
• Leads to better outcomes for children and communities

How CSC embeds participation in our work

In our strategy

All of CSC’s strategic goals are underpinned by the belief that street-connected children must be co-creators of change.  

In research

We use participatory research methods that involve children as peer researchers, co-designers, and analysts; ensuring that street children are involved in collecting and interpreting the data that influences decisions 

In advocacy

We support street-connected children to speak directly to decision-makers, contribute to UN reports, and engage with local, national and regional governing bodies 

In tools and guidance

We develop practical tools that help on-the-ground organisations use participatory approaches safely and effectively, with training that highlights safeguarding, facilitation, and power sharing. 

Participation in action: street champions in Kolkata

In Kolkata, India, a group of more than 30 Street Champions (aged 11-–18) have been supported to be peer researchers and advocates, by Child in Need Institute (CINI) and CSC since September 2019. The Street Champions are children living or working on streets, who have been trained and supported using CSC’s Street Champion methodology. In 2020 they undertook ‘Vulnerability and Service Mapping’ research with 500 of their peers on the street, using the framework of UN General Comment 21 to assess the extent to which they have access to their rights and the government services available and accessible to them. These children, informed by their lived realities on the streets and the findings of their own research, identify the issues that violate the rights of children in their communities and highlight them at various platforms, advocating for appropriate solutions.  

At local level, the initiative has established new platforms for street-connected children to be directly consulted by city and state level duty bearers and call for the changes they want to see. As a result, government officials such as Mayor of Kolkata and other policy makers now positively encourage those child leaders in reporting the issues to them and discuss localised and sustainable solutions.  

During the Covid-19 crisis the Street Champions secured access to food rations for excluded street communities, successfully demanded the reopening of public toilet facilities and successfully lobbied for vaccination access for allchildren, including those who live or work on the street.  

At international level, the Kolkata Street Champions have highlighted the global concerns of migrant children’s rights to entitlements, issues related to homelessness and climate change, participation of children in developmental planning and reporting processes. The international platforms where those issues were highlighted include Human Rights Council of the United Nations, United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) and United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children. One of the Street Champions, Ishika, made a powerful statement on the 46th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council. She addressed the issues faced by street-connected children and stated, “I am urging world leaders to come up with solutions so that we can access food, healthcare and shelters from anywhere in my country, even if we have to move from one place to another.” 

Recently, the Kolkata Street Champions received a letter of appreciation from Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on Violence Against Children, thanking Street Champions for their initiatives and actions. The letter concluded with the following encouraging words from the world leader to the children – “I know you are at the forefront of actions, and I want to leave you with one message: Don’t stop! Continue doing what you are doing. Please do not give up. The world needs you, so together, we can make it safer, healthier, more just, and inclusive.” 

The principles of child participation

Our participatory work with street-connected children is grounded in best practice:

• Voluntary and informed: children take part by choice, with a clear understanding of what will be involved
• Safe and supportive: participation is done in line with robust safeguarding
• Inclusive and accessible: activities are flexible and structured to ensure street-connected children are able to participate wherever they are, and around other priorities in their lives
• Child-centred: street children help to shape the agenda, not just respond to it

Whether you’re an organisation working with street children, a policymaker, or a donor, we can help you to embed meaningful child participation into your work with street-connected children.