Child Participation

This chapter starts with a critical assessment of the legal foundation of the concept of child participation from the perspective of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is followed by a discussion of how the right of the child to express her or his views should and could be implemented in the family, school, health care settings, legal proceedings, and in the community and society (public participation) and of the challenges children and others face with this implementation. The chapter concludes with recommendations for further actions that promote and support the participation of children in all areas of their lives.