Children's participation in international fora: The experiences and perspectives of children and adults

Abstract

Children and young people are increasingly participating in events organised by international organisations. In spite of a growing body of research on children's participation in decision-making, little is known about their experiences and the perceptions of adults who attend. This article compares the experiences of 16 children and 12 adults who participated in high-level global events. Three themes were identified, Representation, Capacity and Impact. Findings suggest that while children and adults identified similar opportunities and challenges for meaningful participation, children's perceptions of their engagement differed from adults' in that they were more likely to be positive about the value of their contribution.