SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2012:ACTION AND IMPACT. STOCKHOLM 8-12 JULY 2012

Human Rights and Social Equality.CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION AS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR OWN HUMAN RIGHTS. Josefina Fernández i Barrera. University of Barcelona. Department of Social Work .

RESEARCH GOALS To identify a complex issue like

children’s participation in Social Affairs.

To analyze how children can influence to generation of new ways of participation

To relate children's participation to citizenship

RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES Participatory observation

(children’s assemblies, school councils)

In depth interviews to adults Theoretical framework from

bibliography, other researches being done and experiences about children’s participation

THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF THE UN CONVENTION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD.

Non-discrimination, or universality (article 2)

Best interests of the child (article 3)

Right to life, survival and development (article 6)

Respect for the views of the child (article 12). (Right to participate)

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THE UN CONVENTION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: PARTICIPATION RIGHTS

To express their own views freely in all matters affecting them in accordance with their age and maturity (Art.12)

Freedom of expression (Art. 13) Freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Art. 14) Freedom of association and freedom of peaceful

Assembly (Art. 15) Privacy in the home, family and correspondence

(Art.16) States Parties shall respect and promote the right of

the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life (Art. 31)

WHAT IS IT CHILDHOOD?

People who has not reached the majority of age. (Under 18)

The notion changes depending on the historical moment

Each society creates their own stages of life

They are a possible group of pressure (lobby)

CHILDREN AS CITIZENS

Citizenship has to do with several rights and responsibilities which are common to all the members of the society (Dahrendorf, 1990)

Active citizenship is the process through people who lack power have a dialogue among them in order to understand which are the reasons for their lack of influence or power and consequently analyze their possibility to act collectively with the aim to change the statu quo and the social environment (Young, 1992)

PROTECTION AND PARTICIPATION: ARE THEY CONFRONTED OF COMPLEMENTARY?

To protect means to keep safe, defend, guard, to prevent to be injured. The notion of child protection comes from the existence of someone weaker (the child) in front of some other who is stronger (the adult).

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PARTICIPATE?To participate is the right to speak up socially and politically without the limits of the minority of age. It is something that we can do voluntarily with the desire to express our own ideas. We know it means also responsibility and being involved. To participate means sharing, helping, to express solidarity, to communicate, to reach common decisions, to work together with others, to know new people, to share opinions and collaborate. To participate is to have our own opinions, to say what you think and being listened. It is also to take part in decision making.

Barcelona’s Children’s Council, 1997.

PARTICIPATION IN SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AT RISK (ASSEMBLIES)

Participant observation in two different children’s homes (in the same building)

10 and 11 assemblies (one per week)

Children from 5 to 12 in Assembly A and from 14 to 8 in Assembly B

Participation of different educators in Assembly A (rotating) and the same ones in Assembly B

THE ASSEMBLIES

It is an space shared with children and educators . It is a place to take decisions, to relate, to learn and to participate. The subjects to discuss can be proposed for everybody. They can be about day to day life in the home, norms, organization, information. The decisions once taken are compulsory for each member of the group.

(Vicens & Gordaliza, 1997)

ASSEMBLY A

105

84

28

21

16

14

9

98

7 5 4 3 2

LAURA GERARD Rosa Darío Simón Carlos Juana Tomás Gabriel JOSE Patricia Juan Salvador Andreu

ASSEMBLY B2 14 172029

41 4370

73

104

106

134

140

174

194268

404

585PETRAJOSELuisBLANCALuzMonicaAntonioMargaritaCarlotaEmilioPabloRafaelEvaristoLucasCARMENJOANTERESAIgnacio

CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION (AND LIMITS?) Participation and ages Minority of age The adults’ visions about participation

PLACES AND SPACES TO PARTICIPATE The family Education Free time and Associations The city

CONCLUSIONS AND FINDINGS

Social Policies have been more involved in the protection of children than caring for their participation

The UN Convention on the rights of the child has been crucial to make children more visible as subjects of rights

Children are very interested to participate when they have the opportunities and spaces to do so

CONCLUSIONS AND FINDINGS Participation has been too often considered

only in relation which children’s councils and children’s parliament: Participation must be considered in any place or situation

Age has been often been considered as a limit for participation while, as Ennew (2000) points out, age is a social construct and not always related to maturity

Adults are very ambivalent about considering children as subjects of rights and citizens

CONCLUSIONS AND FINDINGS Children's spaces to participate are

always related with their free time without adult monitoring. Adults have a difficulty to accept this possibility for self organization of children.

Family is very important to make possible children’s participation

School systems sometimes are too rigid to allow children to participate and have their own voice

CONCLUSIONS

Children must be considered as citizens. Social Policies should make possible the visibility of children and their participation in any of the areas where they are present. Children’s participation in social, health and justice services should be considered always as they are clients/users of these services.

ADVANCES ABOUT CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION IN CATALONIA (LLEI 14/2010)

Children should take part in the notion of “the best interest of the child”(Art.5)

Public Administration should promote the right of children to participate (Art. 11)

Children are citizens and they should be listened in all matters affecting them (Art. 53)

Right of association and assembly (Art.35) Organization of the Local and National

Council of Children (Art. 27)

Thanks for your

attention!