- Training in citizen participation is necessary to generate spaces on topics of interest to childhood, the educational sector must be reformed to position human rights, from the first school grades.
- Public policies where adults decide about what affects the lives of children, cannot and should not be conceived, the most important voice is that of girls, boys and adolescents.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, in its Art. 12, establishes that States have the obligation to provide girls, boys and adolescents with information on topics of interest to them, accessible and according to their age, so that the child or girl, you are in a position to form your own judgment.
Likewise, minors have the right to freely express their opinion on the situations that affect them, considering their age and maturity. When we speak of political advocacy for girls, boys and adolescents, we refer to their participation in different processes in order to transform those realities that affect them, and which in turn contribute to the strengthening of capacities, in favor of their rights.
To address the issue, the Initiative Weaving Childhood Nets, carried out the program How to generate spaces for political advocacy for girls, boys and adolescents? Ana María Watson participated in this space National Initiative Group for Children's Rights (GIN, Peru), who began his speech with a message of solidarity to the Colombian people, condemning acts of violence and calling for active respect for human rights; Also on the situation in Colombia, Angélica Cuenca, Executive Secretary of the Alliance for Colombian Children, recalled that Colombian children and adolescents have been victims of violence derived from police brutality.
On the importance of political advocacy for children, Ana María; He recalled the importance of generating spaces for leading and free participation for children, where they can promote solutions to the problems that affect them. He highlighted some elements to take into account to move forward with firm steps in achieving the objectives that we are interested in achieving regarding advocacy: such as organization and planning, opportunity, support, clarity in proposals, communication. One of the issues in which the political incidence of children should be promoted is the public budget, since, "without a budget, there are no rights," he said.
In turn, Angélica Cuenca, assured that today more than ever, in the context of what is happening in Colombia, the participation of children is more relevant, therefore, she considered it important to open microphones, not only to listen to them, but also to take their views into account, in such a way that adults generate mechanisms and exercises for advocacy and real participation, “Whenever public policies are discussed, regarding girls, boys and adolescents, a public consultation must be carried out articulated with childhood.
From Argentina, Máximo, young coordinator of the Network of Adolescents and Youth in Action in Argentina; spoke of the challenges faced by young people to influence, among them, generate spaces of trust, empower the gaze and voice of young people, multiply their reflections to position them in the dialogue of the public agenda and articulate their own problems with agents politicians.
Regarding the challenges faced by the adult world to accompany spaces for the political incidence of children, Angélica Cuenta, stressed that the greatest challenge that adults face is to review the ways and mechanisms to listen to children, looking for ways of communication ; He mentioned that it is wrong to conceive the spaces for participation of girls, boys and adolescents, as a space apart from adults. "It is necessary to train in citizen participation, open spaces on issues that interest children, call the education sector to reform itself to position human rights issues, from the first school grades," concluded the expert.
The contribution of Dina, an adolescent member of the Organization of Bilingual Reporters, in Peru, focused on inviting organizations, the media, decision-makers and adults to motivate spaces for participation and awareness, where girls, boys and adolescents be the protagonists; precisely as they do in the radio space where she participates, "In the radio program 'Waters turbid, clear voices' adolescents report, talking about politics, violence, education, human trafficking, technologies," she pointed out.
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Ollin.TV is an Internet television channel created as part of Weaving Childhood Networks in Latin America and the Caribbean, an initiative co-financed by the European Union, which seeks to contribute to the strengthening and consolidation of a platform for the defense of children and adolescents in 20 countries of America Latin and the Caribbean.
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