Children and Young People as Active Agents: Thematic Evaluation on Children’s Participation in Armed Conflict, Post Conflict and Peace Building

In 2008, Clare Feinstein, Annette Giertsen, Dr. Kato Nkimba, Claire O’Kane and Pramila Thapa, submitted this article to the American Journal of Community Psychology, Special issue: Children as protagonists: Participatory action research in collaboration with children.

The overall purpose of this thematic evaluation on child participation was to contribute to strengthening child-led organisations, children’s capacities and roles as peace agents, and to promote the inclusion of children’s voices in peace processes and peace agreements. The initial findings of the evaluation and the advocacy messages developed by children and young people, were found to be highly relevant to practical and theoretical discourse concerning the empowerment of marginalised groups, social welfare and social justice, and organisational learning in child-led organisations.