Approval of ‘General Criteria for Children's Participation’

We congratulate and highly appreciate the approval of the ‘General Criteria for Children's Participation’ by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Endorsement of these criteria are a very important step forward towards the meaningful participation of children in activities, consultations and decision-making processes for children and with children. The drafting of the General Criteria for the Participation of Children is the result of an extensive consultation process with the Children Groups “Voice 16+” groups in the city of Elbasan, Durrës, Burrel and Peshkopi, as well as with the State Agency for the Protection of Children's Rights. They will serve the authorities and decision makers, at the central and local level, to design policies and practices that improve the situation and the realization of children's rights as well as will encourage and facilitate children and youth’s themselves to increase their meaningful participation in activities and processes. It is based on the UN Convention basic criteria, as well as on the General Comment No. 12 on Meaningful Child Participation and provides guidance to adults in promoting and realizing children’s right to participation and children’s overall rights, as part of child activities, projects, programs, policies, or services, by introducing them with the main participation principles along with a measurement indicators menu for each. The drafting and the publication of the General Criteria for Children's Participation Guide are developed in the framework of the project "Children Keeping Children safe", funded by the Swedish Agency for International Development and implemented by Save the Children in cooperation with the Ombudsman and State Agency for the Protection of the Rights of the Child. For more information on the criteria read the guide: https://bit.ly/30sONPu