Description
The project is needed as it responds to several problems in child’s rights implementation, such as: the participation of children (especially Roma) is not properly ensured by authorities, pupils’ councils often have a formal nature and the amounts allocated to children in the public budgets lack visibility. As a response to the challenges, 6000 children will know their rights and develop their participation skills, being supported by 100 volunteers. Also, 500 teachers, 1000 parents and 35 NGOs will be informed about the importance of child participation; 900 decision makers will be more aware of their responsibilities for ensuring child’s rights and transparency of the children’s budget. Objectives: Increase children’s capacity to exercise their right to participate, without discrimination, to the decision making process, in their schools and communities; Increase decision makers’ capacity to understand and support children right to participation; Improve the transparency of how the relevant authorities allocate and spend the budget for ensuring child’s rights. The project will also improve organization's advocacy and public communication actions.
Summary of project results
The project was implemented as a response to the poor promotion and knowledge of the children’s rights and the lack of transparency of the amounts dedicated to children in the public budgets. The project’s aim was to increase the capacity of children to exercise their right to participate in the decision making process, in a non-discriminatory manner, to increase central and local authorities’ capacity to support children’s right to participation and to improve transparency of the local budgets on children’s rights issues. Project activities included pupils and volunteers training sessions, developing projects in schools and communities, analysing the public budgets dedicated to children’s right to education, health, and protection, and framing a methodology that enables this type of analysis replication. By participating in training activities, developing and implementing projects, the 100 volunteers and 1000 students involved have developed the knowledge and ability to actively participate in their communities. Through partnerships with 25 schools and through its participatory approach, the project has strengthened the relationship and improved communication between students, teachers, schools directors and local authorities. The publication “Children Budget Analysis - an exploratory study”, drafted during the implementation of the project, brought knowledge of the effects of public policies on children and will be a guide for authorities in developing and implementing the most effective measures, thus ensuring children's rights. Some of the study's recommendations that were promoted in the dialogue with authorities have been included in public policy documents. For example, the need for a review of education funding through cost per pupil method has been recognized by the Government and included in the Integrated Package to Combat Poverty. Therefore the Ministry of Education requested schools to make their budgets public.
Summary of bilateral results