A ten-year retrospective: How children shaped advocacy with Terre des Hommes Netherlands

Abstract

This article presents an in-depth analysis of children and young people's engagement in Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) influencing work over the past 10 years. The Lundy framework is used to examine child participation across its four components: space, voice, audience and influence. Data were gathered through a comprehensive desk review, 32 semi-structured interviews with young people and 5 interviews with adult facilitators who participated in influencing activities over the period 2013–2023. The findings indicate that while child and youth participation in influencing at local and subnational levels provided opportunities for meaningful participation, opportunities for engagement of children at national and international levels remained limited. The article provides evidence-based recommendations to enhance the inclusivity, safety and impact of future advocacy initiatives, and to promote meaningful child participation. Ultimately, it underscores the importance of integrating children's voices into decision-making processes to ensure systemic change and the sustainable protection of children's rights.