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Description
For the development of civic competence for children, it is not enough to only know human rights, political concepts and processes, but to enable them to practice democratic principles within school life and the community. Children''s involvement and participation is also essential in these moments where we are unable to meet in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic. With this project, we aim to provide education for children''s rights, democratic and digital citizenship to children of NEF members, children''s counsellors and mentors through an informal form of education. The provided activities are educational interactive online workshops “Full of knowledge”; Online campaign "Children''s rights first"; Online meeting of NEF members with decision makers at local, national and EU parliamentarians from Croatia. By participating in project activities, users will increase civic and digital competences, and we will sensitize children and adults to the need to involve children in decision-making processes from the local to the EU level. The project will contribute to the networking of NEF members and counsellors of children''s councils from different parts of Croatia.
The project is oriented to children, unable to meet and socialize due to Covid-19 restriction measures (regardless on the gender, age or race) to support and encourage them through education on their rights and digital competences to participate in decision making processes, which is not specifically relevant to any of listed policy markers.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to address several challenges related to children''s rights and their active participation in decision-making processes. It focused on raising awareness about children''s rights, particularly their right to express their opinions on matters that affect them. The project also aimed to overcome the lack of adequate education for children about their rights, especially in regions with less access to such information. Additionally, it sought to foster stronger adult-child partnerships and enhance the understanding of children''s participation as a fundamental principle of human rights. The project also targeted the need for continuous education on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and digital citizenship.
The project carried out several activities to promote children''s participation in decision-making at local, national, and European levels. Key activities included:
- Organizing the National Forum of Children''s Councils, where children from nine local communities participated in discussions and formulated guidelines for further engagement.
- Holding meetings between children and local authorities to encourage dialogue and raise awareness about the importance of children''s participation.
- Implementing a public awareness campaign titled "Children''s Rights First," aimed at educating decision-makers and the public about children''s rights and the need for their inclusion in decision-making processes.
- Developing an online platform to share guidelines, presentations, and best practices for working with children, serving as a forum for exchanging experiences on children''s participation.
- Creating educational materials to be integrated into the curriculum for civic education in schools.
The project achieved several important results:
- It raised awareness among the general public, including children, adults, local and regional authorities, and decision-makers, about the importance of including children in decision-making processes.
- It helped children develop civic competence, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to participate actively in democratic society.
- It contributed to the curriculum for civic education, ensuring that children in schools have access to resources and knowledge about their rights and participation.
- It established a publicly accessible database of practices and tools for children''s participation, which will serve as a long-term resource for schools, local authorities, and organizations working with children.
- It increased awareness of European practices regarding children''s participation and facilitated the transfer of knowledge to other local governments.
- The project positively impacted 23 children, including those with developmental disabilities, who were selected for the National Forum of Children''s Councils. These children had the opportunity to participate in decision-making at local, national, and EU levels, furthering their development as active citizens. Moreover, national and international organizations supported the campaign, leading to the involvement of children in significant European events, such as the 13th European Forum on the Rights of the Child in Brussels, where they contributed to the development of EU child rights strategies.
These efforts helped to establish children''s rights and participation as crucial elements for promoting democracy, strengthening civil society, and fostering the future empowerment of young citizens.