Why These Standards Matter

Children and young people have the right to be heard in all matters affecting them, as enshrined in Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Yet, their voices have often been underrepresented or included in tokenistic ways in global decision-making processes. These new standards address this gap by providing a clear, child-authored framework to guide organizers in creating meaningful participation opportunities that respect children’s rights and lived experiences.

Developed by Children, for Children

The standards were developed by a global task group of eight children and young people aged 12 to 18 from diverse backgrounds and mostly from the global south, supported by child rights organisations who met regularly online. Drawing on existing participation models such as the Lundy model and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s guidelines, the group emphasized that a “global event” is more than a single day’s activity. Meaningful participation must span the entire process—from early planning and preparation, through the event itself, to follow-up and ongoing engagement.

Core Themes of the Standards

The standards are organized around three key phases:

• Preparation, such as ensuring adequate time, resources, accessibility, and information sharing so children can participate fully.
• During the Event, such as creating safe, respectful, and inclusive spaces that encourage peer exchange, fun, and rest.
• Follow-Up, such as providing feedback, evaluating impact, and maintaining engagement to ensure children’s contributions lead to real change.

The phrase “Include Us!” encapsulates the core message: children should be active participants in decisions affecting their lives, not passive recipients. This principle of “Nothing for us without us” underpins the standards, promoting inclusivity and belonging.

Support from Global Leaders and Organizations

Prominent advocates and institutions have welcomed the standards as a vital tool to improve child participation worldwide. Laura Lundy, Professor of Children’s Rights, highlighted the importance of child-led participation that is safe and effective. Helen Griffiths from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights emphasized that children’s involvement strengthens human rights decision-making and bridges global commitments with community realities.

The European Commission, as well as the Committee on the Rights of the Child, has committed to integrating the standards into its work, inspired by children’s calls to action. The Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children also supports the standards, emphasizing child safeguarding and inclusion of marginalized groups.

Key Recommendations for Implementation

• Actively include children in decision-making processes, moving beyond tokenism.
• Address barriers to implementing the standards, such as lack of organizational or political commitment, financial and time barriers.
• Prepare thoroughly to ensure accessibility and inclusivity.
• Provide safe and respectful environments during events.
• Ensure follow-up actions and feedback to maintain ongoing engagement.
• Adapt standards to cultural and regional contexts while upholding core principles.
• Build capacity among adult organizers to facilitate meaningful participation.
• Develop accountability mechanisms to monitor and evaluate participation quality.

A Call to Action

The launch of these standards comes with a clear call to action for governments, organizations, event organizers, and communities:

• Read, reflect on, and apply the standards in all relevant contexts.
• Share and promote the standards widely to raise awareness.
• Provide training and mentoring to support effective implementation.
• Embed the standards into existing policies, funding criteria, safeguarding frameworks, and evaluation processes.
• Empower children and young people to lead advocacy efforts.
• Foster partnerships to strengthen collaboration and accountability.
• Hold organizers accountable

Join the Movement to “Include Us!”

The Children’s and Young People’s Standards for Meaningful Participation in Global Events represent a transformative framework to ensure that children’s voices are respected, valued, and influential on the global stage. By embracing these standards, we can build a future where children and young people are recognized as essential partners in shaping policies and practices that affect their lives.

For more information and to access the full standards, check out the standards document here.

Please find here a summary briefing of the launch event.