The adolescent's right to participation in Algeria

Abstract

The recognition of youth's citizenship and of their right to expression has created a great interest in international organizations for the participation of adolescents, which seems to be exercised timidly, possibly because of the low level of awareness of this right from the rights' holders themselves. An investigation was initiated starting 2009 by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Algiers in a social and political context that is trying to stabilize after the "black decade", a study in which we took part. The aim of the study was to identify the perceptions, attitudes and values regarding the right to participation of adolescents, in order to put in place strategies for the development of good practices favoring participation. This study was qualitative and it focused on participation in the main living surroundings of adolescents, namely the family, the school and the community, and ultimately society. interviews were used as a tool; with 56 teenagers, their ages are between 11 to 18 years old, from the Wilaya of Constantine. The main results of the study have shown that the participation of adolescents and their level of involvement in the family environment depend on the status and role that the social system confers to each person within the family according to age, sex, and degree of financial autonomy. In the school environment, students are not well informed and are very little solicited in the life of the institution and do not have structures to express their view. Concerning community participation, public spaces are the space where teenager feels the most listened to, respected and solicited by their peers. Democracy and solidarity are the key principles that govern relationships.