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[8 February 2007] - A national consultation on children and young people's participation in El Salvador took place in the country's capital, San Salvador on 8 February. Three hundred children and young people from 8-18-years-old participated in the consultation, I Have a Voice and the Right to Vote When I Speak about My Rights, which was held as part of the process to draft a new law on juvenile justice called the Integral Protection Law for Children and Adolescents. Plan helped train children to facilitate the meeting, which was jointly organised by Plan, UNICEF and the Technical Unit of the Justice System. The consultation was opened by Supreme Court member, Dr. Victoria de Aviles; Minister of Education, Ms. Darlyn Meza; two members of the Commission for the Family, Women and Children of the Legislative Assembly, UNICEF Representative, Ms. Miriam de Figueroa, and Plan Country Director, Rossana Viteri. The consultation was an exercise of participation to give children a say when their rights are being discussed by law-makers. This week's consultation will be followed by others in San Miguel and Sonsonate, two major cities in the east and the west of the country, on the 13th, 15th, 20th and 22nd of February. El Salvador ratified the Convention of the Rights of the Child in 1990 but does not have national legislation to enforce it. January 2007 marks the 15th anniversary of the Peace Accords that put an end to a 12-year civil war, and 2007 has been declared the "Year of Social Peace". Many of the children participating in the consultation were too young to remember the end of the war or were born after the peace accords were signed. However, they are the main victims of the difficult economic, political and social situation that makes children the most vulnerable in a country where violence is part of the daily news and that was ranked number one by the World Bank for its vulnerability to disasters. The children presented their recommendations to representatives of the Justice System on issues such as identity, discrimination, violence, migration, juvenile delinquency, child labour, child trafficking and sexual exploitation. Supreme Court member Dr. Victoria de Aviles stated, "This event marks an important change; this is how this country can build a culture of peace, where children are a priority in the agenda of government officers." Gabriela Rivas (18) called on the Legislative Assembly and to government and non-governmental institutions to "work together so that children are your priority and your commitment for the betterment of this nation." Recommendations Further information