Dialogue Works

21/08/2026

🌍 **Nothing about us, without us!**

In April 2026, the **Standards for Meaningful Participation of Children and Young People in Global Events** were launched after 15 months of collaboration and collective work.

Developed by young activists from around the world — including members of the **Dialogue Works / GNCP project** — these standards represent an important step toward ensuring that children and young people are not only heard, but that **their voices have a real influence on decisions that affect them.** ✊🏽

💡 The standards call for meaningful participation that:

✅ Includes children and young people as **active participants and decision-makers**.
✅ Ensures **safe, accessible, and respectful spaces**.
✅ Goes beyond symbolic or tokenistic participation.
✅ Promotes ongoing dialogue, **follow-up, and feedback**.
✅ Includes the voices of diverse groups and those who face greater barriers to participation.

🌎 Global institutions and organizations, including the **United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)** and the **European Commission**, have already committed to these standards.

Now, the challenge is collective: **governments, organizations, funders, and global event organizers must turn these principles into real practices.**

📖 We invite you to read the standards, share them with your network, and ask yourself:
**How can we ensure truly meaningful participation in our own spaces and programs?**

Together, we can make children’s and young people’s participation a **real, meaningful, and lasting practice** around the world. 💜🌍

🔗 **Read the full standards:**
[https://dialogue-works.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CYP-Standards-MP-in-Global-Events_ENG_FINAL-for-launch_25.04.2.pdf](https://dialogue-works.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CYP-Standards-MP-in-Global-Events_ENG_FINAL-for-launch_25.04.2.pdf)

🔗 **Read the launch event summary:**
[https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/children/summary-briefing-children-s-standards-mean-2026.pdf](https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/children/summary-briefing-children-s-standards-mean-2026.pdf)

10/07/2026

The Global Network on Child Participation works in South Asia to ensure that children and adolescents—in vulnerable rural and urban areas—have safe spaces and real support to express their ideas, needs, and proposals.
In the region, we will work with a leading regional organization in India and with local networks to implement a comprehensive approach that includes:
• Training modules for civil society organizations (CSOs) that incorporate participatory methodologies sensitive to gender, age, and cultural diversity.
• Workshops in schools and community spaces to strengthen the capacities of child delegates and establish sustainable participation practices.
• Integration of tools to support youth mental health within participatory activities (safe spaces, active listening, and referral to services when appropriate).
• Systematic documentation of lessons learned to inform the Community of Practice (CoP) and enable local solutions to become methodologies that can be replicated in other regions.
Why is this key in South Asia? Because educational inequality, mental health stigmas, and the differences between urban and rural settings require tailored responses—not one-size-fits-all solutions—and because children’s proposals are essential for more relevant and effective education and protection policies.

03/07/2026

The Global Network for Children’s Participation works in Southeast Africa because, in many countries in the subregion, children and adolescents face structural barriers that prevent their meaningful participation: persistent poverty, internal displacement, child labor, and a lack of safe spaces that guarantee their protection.

In partnership with Jesus Cares Ministries (Zambia), we will take a comprehensive approach:
• We will strengthen Children and Adolescent Committees (CACs) to equip them with practical skills and provide real opportunities for dialogue.
• We will train civil society organizations (CSOs) in participatory methodologies and approaches to protection and survival.
• We will facilitate dialogue between child delegates and local/regional authorities so that children’s recommendations are incorporated into public plans and decisions.

Why does this matter? Because meaningful participation transforms policies and practices: it allows solutions to be designed based on children’s real needs and enables authorities to hear viable proposals. Our work on the ground seeks to turn voices into concrete and sustainable actions.

’sNetwork

26/06/2026

Why do we work here?
In South America, there are contexts where children and adolescents—particularly in indigenous and rural communities—face barriers to access, discrimination, and the risk of labor exploitation. The Network operates in the region with MANTHOC (Peru) as the lead organization, working to strengthen culturally relevant child participation and to advocate for changes in local and educational policies.
Key actions in the region:
Training for CSOs and children’s committees to design participatory processes that are sensitive to indigenous and rural cultures.
Campaigns led by children to raise awareness of local issues (bilingual education, protection against labor exploitation).
Technical assistance to ensure that children’s recommendations are translated into proposals in local forums and public policies.
Creation of adapted materials and documentation for the CoP.
Why this matters
Children’s participation grounded in cultural diversity ensures more inclusive and relevant policies. When indigenous communities participate with their own voice, solutions are designed with greater justice and sustainability. MANTHOC, together with local partners, will lead processes that empower children’s delegates and strengthen national networks.
Expected Results (Impact and Sustainability)
Children’s committees leading local campaigns and presenting proposals to educational and municipal authorities.
Culturally adapted materials and tools shared at the CoP.
Stronger links between local CSOs and decision-making bodies.

Hashtags: ’sNetwork

12/06/2026

The Global Network for Children’s Participation operates in three regions—Southeast Africa, South Asia, and South America—because we want to combine context-specific solutions with lessons learned that can be scaled up at the regional and global levels.
Why by region?
Although many barriers to child participation are shared—lack of safe spaces, discrimination, poverty, the impact of climate change, and mental health—each region requires context-specific responses: methods, materials, and advocacy strategies that work in different realities.
What we will do in each region (summary)
- Southeast Africa
Priorities: strengthening Children’s Advisory Committees (CACs), community mobilization against child labor, and support for regional advocacy processes. Planned activities: training for CSOs and child delegates, in-person regional meetings, piloting of adapted materials.
- South Asia
Priorities: inclusion of girls and adolescents in rural/urban settings, youth mental health, and participatory tools in schools and communities. Planned activities: training modules, pilot workshops with CACs, and documentation for the Community of Practice (CoP).
- South America
Priorities: participation of indigenous and rural communities, advocacy on education policies, and protection of child laborers. Planned activities: training for CSOs, campaigns led by children, and strengthening of national networks.
How we connect learning
The results and tools developed in each region will be documented and shared in the virtual Community of Practice so that CSOs and children’s committees from different regions can adapt solutions that have already proven effective.

01/06/2026

Presentamos la Red Global de Participación de las Niñeces: un proyecto para fortalecer la voz de niñas, niños y adolescentes en decisiones públicas. A través de formación, herramientas y espacios de diálogo conectaremos organizaciones y experiencias de todo el mundo. ¿Quieres conocer más?
Sigue nuestra página y comparte este anuncio.


Introducing the Global Network on Child Participation: a project to amplify the voices of children and adolescents in public decision-making. Through training, tools, and spaces for dialogue, we will connect organizations and share experiences from around the world. Want to learn more?
Follow our page and share this post.
’sNetwork

19/05/2026