Child and youth participation is both a right and a benefit to society. In this chapter, youth and decision makers share this and many other arguments about why child and youth participation is important during times of crisis.
The arguments below are selected examples from a wall of arguments that was created anonymously by youth and decision makers during the focus groups and the conference. The
wall of arguments from the focus groups comprises around 150 arguments, with contributions in all the Nordic languages.
Why child and youth participation during times of crises is essential
It is not optional
“The UN child convention, a convention all Nordic countries have signed, makes it obligatory that the child should be allowed to raise their voice, and that the best of the child should be the groundwork of all political decisions involving children. Who knows better what is best for children than children?”
Everyone’s perspective is needed
“We need everyone’s perspective to make great decisions for everyone. Youths will look at the problem differently and have different needs than other age groups.”
“Often it is easy to make decisions based on your own view of the world, but children are raised in a completely different time frame than decision makers. The norms and culture are different, and so is the generational worldview. Therefore, young people will look at the world and thus the problems in a different way than the elected politicians.”
“Listening to children and young people might give politicians new ideas and better solutions, that they themselves didn't think about.”
“Youth will live in the future that is built from today’s decision making!”
Children and youth are equal members of society
“Children and young people usually make up one-fifth of the population. I think that speaks for itself.”
“Children and young people live under the decisions made by adults. We cannot preach democracy while completely excluding 20 percent of society. Just because children and young people do not have the right to vote does not mean that they are incapable of contributing to society.”
“Young people make up a significant part of society whose wishes can or cannot be taken into consideration when making important decisions about not just educational, but also financial and infrastructural matters, for example. The youth use the same services as people of any other age group. Just because we don't have the same experiences and, perhaps, cannot afford to do the same thing adults can, does not mean we are not a part of society, or that we can be ignored whenever it is of convenience to other groups.”
Preparing for the next crisis
“When a crisis hits, measures are often required to be both quickly implementable and effective. In order to assure this, it would be of great need to have plans prepared for how to quickly gather input from the groups most affected by the crisis. This would enable decision makers at all levels to make more well-informed and grounded decisions, even under extreme conditions.”
Good processes lead to better decisions
“Firstly, it creates the sense that consulting parties are being listened to, which will in general increase satisfaction with a given process. Secondly, you consult to get experiences which you yourself do not have. It's one thing to make the rules, it's another thing to live under them.“
“In times of crisis, it's understood that some areas have to be prioritised in favour of others, so not everyone can get their way. But by continuously listening to the affected groups, you create a sense of empowerment, which can be crucial to the motivation and morale of said group. You show that there is a will to listen and improve conditions, and that you value the input of the affected groups.”