Children’s Local Affairs Participation

ongoing

In the Children's Local Affairs Participation initiative led by Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), the Municipalities of Budapest and Lublin, alongside child rights NGOs, aim to make a difference in child participation in local governance within Central and Eastern Europe. The project, driven by the pressing need to enhance meaningful and inclusive involvement of children at the local level, introduces an innovative Child Participation Toolkit that is tailored to the different needs of local communities and able to consider all kinds of vulnerabilities. The project develops policy proposals for the participating Municipalities on how to integrate the Toolkit into their decision-making processes in a systemic way. The project leverages children's insights to inform the creation of the Child Participation Toolkit, ensuring that their voices are heard and valued already in the developmental process. By piloting the Toolkit in real-world scenarios, it evaluates the Toolkit's practicality and flexibility, guaranteeing its long-term applicability and effectiveness in fostering child participation. The project stands out for its collaborative approach, bringing together unique transdisciplinary expertise from ELTE and Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (Lublin), experience in training children from civil organizations, and the proactive engagement of municipal authorities from Budapest and Lublin. Together, they form a consortium of innovation, committed to embedding child participation deeply within local governance structures. This initiative not only promises to enhance child participation in Budapest and Lublin but also sets a precedent for innovation and inclusivity for municipalities in Hungary and Poland, as well as across Europe.