National Child Participation Framework: Child Friendly Version

Children have a right to actively participate in decisions, processes, programmes and policies that affects their lives. Being able to
participate further helps children to also realise other rights such as access to health care. This participation of children depends
on the state and all organisations working with children and families to protect, respect and promote the rights of all children.
This obligation is also stated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations, 1990) and the African
Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (African Union, 1999). Locally the rights are reflected in the Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa (RSA, 1996) and the Children’s Act 38 of 2005.
To enable participation, it is important to ensure that participation is meaningful, ethical and safe and therefore in the BEST
INTEREST OF THE CHILD . The voices of children is needed in different spaces, including home/family, school, health setting,
justice system, child protection, community/local government and national government, policy making/reporting. To enhance this
the National Department of Social Development and Save the Children South Africa developed the National Child Protection
Framework (NCPF). To ensure that the NCPF is not only aimed at adults this child-friendly version was developed.
The format of this child-friendly version is an activity book, a new innovative approach to actively engage children in learning. This
format will enable children from as young as 3 years old to youth of 18 years old to better understand participation. This document
can also be used by educators or facilitators of child participation information sessions. Some activities (games and case studies)
are aimed at groups of children and allows for discussion of topics between children.