Guidelines on Child Participation

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) provides
for the right to child participation, principally, in Articles 4(2) and 7. In addition
to these provisions, several other provisions of the ACRWC, including, but
not limited to Articles: 9 (freedom of thought, conscience and religion); 10
(protection of privacy), and 12 (leisure, recreation and cultural activities)
and 31 (the responsibilities of the child) also give effect to child participation.
Furthermore, in paragraph 53 of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, the
AU acknowledges that “African children shall be empowered through the full
implementation of the African Charter on the Rights of the Child”. This is further
expounded by Aspiration 10 of Africa’s Agenda for Children 2040 (Agenda
2040), which emphasises the establishment of systematic and sustainable
structures for child participation.