Children’s Participation: from Tokenism to Citizenship

“We may be unnecessarily sabotaging our present, and our children’s future, by being blind to the inconsistencies and irrationalities of adult-child interaction in family and community in this century. Mass media programmes about the right to a happy and secure childhood and to a happy and secure retirement cannot substitute for the actual experience of frank and honest confrontation between generations when perceptions, needs and interests differ, in a context of mutual acceptance of responsibility for each other. Neither can special feeding, health and education programmes undertaken for children substitute for joint community projects carried out by adults and children together, in which capacities of the young to contribute to the welfare of all receives full recognition.” Elise Boulding, Children’s Rights and the Wheel of Life, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, 1979, p. 89.

Graphics layout: S. Selim Iltus The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of UNICEF. Copyright © 1992 UNICEF International Child Development Centre Spedale degli lnnocenti Florence, Italy ISSN: 1014-7829 ISBN: 88-85401-05-8 March 1992

CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION: FROM TOKENISM TO CITIZENSHIP
by Roger Hart

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UNICEF / FRAN ANTMANN A demonstration by school children in Peru for immunization

CONTENTS
PREFACE....................................................................................... I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. INTRODUCTION............................................................................ THE MEANING OF CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION...................... MANIPULATION AND TOKENISM: MODELS OF NONPARTICIPATION..................................................................... MODELS OF GENUINE PARTICIPATION..................................... RESEARCH WITH CHILDREN...................................................... PLAY AND WORK: THE DIFFERENT REALITIES IN INDUSTRIALIZED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES................... CHILDREN IN...