As recognized by the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Child Protection Act, every child has the right to participate in decision-making processes that concern them. Children can contribute to the development of society as they are agents of change. They have a different view of society and the things around them. Enabling them to participate in decisions can lead to more sustainable progress.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), more than half of the Congolese population is made up of children. They are among the main beneficiaries of development programs and therefore have a central role to play. UNICEF integrates the participation of children in its programmatic axes in the DRC: theater groups, children’s participation in awareness-raising activities, committees and student clubs, school brigades, peace committee, etc.
Children and adolescents are actively involved in setting priorities for UNICEF in the DRC. They participated in brainstorming sessions for the preparation of the UNICEF 2019/2023 strategic plan and identified three priority areas: access to schooling, precariousness of life and access to health care. Through the children’s vision of the problems that affect them, it will be possible to carry out more appropriate actions in their favor and achieve lasting results.
