Children’s Citizenship — Observed and Experienced

Abstract

In today’s political discourse on the role of children in society, it would be a breach of etiquette not to emphasize children’s citizenship. Most of the time, the discussants limit themselves to insist on children being citizens, without specifying or supporting their assertion. Where children’s citizenship is further described, it is usually defined as a ‘status in the making’ which children can acquire in a step-by-step process. The acquisition of citizenship is depicted as a learning process through which the children must go by themselves or be guided by an educator. In this context, children are invited to fight for their interests by participating in activities and programmes organized for them. To engage in such a programme is seen as a practical test to prove that children are on the verge of turning into citizens or just became citizens.