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Summary: The Steering Committee for the regional consultations in relation to the UNVAC in the East Asia and Pacific Region has developed a series of Minimum Standards on Consulting with Children.
The Steering Committee for the regional consultations in relation to the UNVAC in the East Asia and Pacific Region has developed a series of Minimum Standards on Consulting with Children as a multi-agency tool to support the participation of children at the East Asia Pacific Regional Consultation on Violence Against Children, in June 2005. Multi-agency collaboration to facilitate meaningful participation of children from the East Asia Pacific region at international and regional events started in 2000 with the UN Special Session on Children. Subsequent research evaluation focusing on the participation of children and young people from this region concluded that although children are being seen and heard at conferences, they are not involved in the decision making process. Analysis pointed to the need for a more systematic approach to the selection, participation and follow-up of children. The Minimum Standards on Consulting with Children mark the first step in the process of developing this systematic approach. In August 2004 a one year project was initiated to develop minimum standards and an accompanying set of guidelines; and to implement an evaluation of their use. Documents from this project are included in this package: Minimum Standards: this document consists of 27 policy statements on children’s participation. The standards are based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as principles of participation. They outline what is meant by meaningful, good quality children’s participation in order that children have a genuine opportunity to express their views and to be involved in the UN Study on Violence Against Children and in particular the East Asia Pacific Regional Consultation for the Study. Evaluation Project: evaluation of the Minimum Standards concluded that although use of the Standards significantly affected the participation of children at the Regional Consultation, Standards were not sufficiently monitored or enforced. Informed by the evaluation process, the Standards and the Protocol have been revised into the present form – where, in particular, mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation have been strengthened. The revised Minimum Standards are a step in the process towards developing generic structures to facilitate meaningful consultation with children. The next stage is to widen the scope of the Standards and develop a broader tool, useful for policy formation and practical application in the many different settings where children are currently being consulted. For more information, visit also http://www.childrenandviolence.org Steering Committee Members were: Child Workers in Asia, ECPAT International, NGO Advisory Panel on the UN Study on Violence Against Children, Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Plan International, Save the Children Alliance, Terre des Hommes Germany, World Vision APRO, UNESCO Bangkok, UNICEF East Asia Pacific Regional Office and an Independent Expert.
Protocol: a package known as the ‘Protocol’ is annexed to the Standards that includes guidelines, forms and briefing papers that help to implement the Standards. The Protocol acts as procedure for the policy and is designed to be a practical tool for those facilitating the participation of children (particularly at the national level). Documents in the Protocol are specific in nature and are relevant to the regional context.