Child Citizens Project –Creating meaningful local child participation in Hungary

The aim of the Child Citizens project is to create and implement effective and innovative child participatory practices in Józsefváros, the 8th district of Budapest.

The Child Citizens Project is coordinated by the municipality of Józsefváros, Budapest’s 8th district, and involves Eurochild member the Family, Child, Youth Association (CSAGYI), along with other local partners. The project is funded by the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values programme.

The project is developing child participation practices to allow children to express their opinion on all relevant issues in their local community and become active participants in democratic processes. The active inclusion and participation of children in vulnerable situations, especially Roma and disadvantaged children is really important for this project, as is the participation of children aged 4-6.

Eurochild is providing capacity-building to local partners on meaningfully engaging children in design of local activities and decision-making.

The specific objectives for this project are:

• create new and develop existing child participatory and democratic mechanisms at municipal level, strengthen the involvement of youth and children in local issues, support their active participation and self-organisation;
• develop local capacities necessary for the implementation of child participatory practices through knowledge exchange;
• provide capacity development for professionals working with child participation practices, as well as for parents and for children in the field of children’s rights;
• multiply and sustain the results by embedding these in the higher education curricula for social workers.

Partners

Contacts

• Alice Hagger-Vaughan, Eurochild Child Participation Coordinator
• Ciaran O'Donnell, Eurochild Partnerships and Programmes Officer

Updates and blogs:

• Establishing child participation at municipal level in Hungary
• Empowering Children - Journey Towards Children’s Rights and Participation in Józsefváros, Budapest