THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILD PARTICIPATION IN DECISON MAKING

"The grown up is always right. In the case that the grown up is wrong please reread the
first statement." This just about sums up the attitude most Maldivians have towards child
participation. It is an unwelcome and foreign concept amongst us. The majority of our
country, point blank refuses to consider the issue of child involvement and empowerment.
Perhaps we are ignorant of the capabilities of young minds and the dire consequences of
denying them a voice. In any case the time has come for us to dismount our high horses
and give the children the right to participate in decision making.
Article 12 of The UN Convention on the Rights of the child clearly states: Every child
has the right to be listened to and taken seriously. It is highly important we understand
what this means. We need to come in terms with the fact that this clause does not give
children the right to control all decisions without consideration of how it affects them or
others. Rather it gives them the right to be heard and seen. They are gifted with the right
to make their own choices in life. This goes hand in hand with their other rights such as
rights to democracy, education, privacy and freedom of thought religion and association.
All this being said it clear that the first and foremost reason children need to be involved
in decision making is that it is their basic right. Everyone should be given control over
what they decide and their views. Children too are people and this entitles them to their
own say. It is unfair to expect them to nod their heads at whatever adults conclude. It is
preposterous that they are not given the choice as to which parent gets custody of them in
cases of divorce and it is ridiculous that they are shipped off to institutes such as
Islaahiyya without hearing their side of the story. It is their life and no one should be
able to dash away their hopes or dismiss their fears.
We often talk about justice. What we forget to talk about however is that by denying
children participation we are committing an act of great injustice. Countless children
across the globe are the breadwinners for their families. They carry the heavy burden of
caring for their little sisters and brothers and in some cases their grandparents. They are
active citizens in the truest sense of the word. This entitles them to the right to have a say
in public policies. Their contributions to society deserve to be acknowledged and the only
way this will come to pass is by giving their views due consideration.

There are those amongst us that have enlisted adults as the only advocates and protectors
of children. Sure, it is the responsibility of the elders to take care of the young ones.
However it is unarguable that no adult can advocate or protect a child as well as the child
himself can. The perspectives of children are on another scale in comparison. Say, the
city council is setting up a park. The adults at hand would decide that concrete flooring
would be far too harmful as children will sustain injuries should they fall. They would opt
for grass carpeting instead. The children, who play, however would know that grass
carpeting is far more dangerous as broken glass debris or animal droppings lurk within
them.
Let us now take a moment to think of all those little girls who suffered sexually at the
hands of their uncles, their brothers and their fathers. Think of the scared boy hiding in
the attic because his drunk mother will beat him black and blue should he cross her path.
Then there are those children that have been locked away in institutions that starve them
of love and psychological wellbeing all because an adult decreed so. All these children
have fallen victim to the selfish needs and wants of adults. These adults put their own
propagandas above the children's best interest. The sad reality is adults often fail children
time and time again. To right these wrongs it is a matter of grave importance that children
be granted a voice.
Up to this point I have been painted adults in a rather dark color. It is not that I consider
them devils spawn. Rather it simply infuriates me that they stand in the way of something
so utterly vital to a child's wellbeing. Involving a child in decision making does not just
empower them against abuse and neglect. It also contributes greatly to the development
of the child. They are going to grow up one way or the other and it would certainly help if
they are armed with skills that will help them weather the storms of life. When you give a
child the opportunity to make a decision you are helping them gain such skills. They gain
key points on communication and self-confidence. It also boosts their self-esteem.
Often enough we find parents saying: You won't understand this. It is not your concern"
What these parents do not realize is that such statements will cause severe psychological
damage. They are cursing the children with a sense of impotence that will haunt them all
their lives. Whenever something goes wrong in their lives the child will automatically
sink into a haze of depression thinking that they do not have the power to bring about a
change or tackle the issue. Moreover children who have been in such situations are more
likely to keep quiet about devastating issues such as sexual harassment.

Quite obviously the little people reap a lot of benefits from being involved in decision
making. The best bit however is that society as a whole will be left with just as many
benefits too. Even so our government fails to grasp or simply refuses to recognize the
legitimacy that children too can contribute unique experience and knowledge about
public policies. Decisions taken regarding public policies will directly impact the lives of
young ones and yet they are mostly undertaken with little to no consideration regarding
child welfare. The root of this disregarding behavior is that childrens voices and the
impact of public policy on their lives are not represented in decision making forums.
In many countries across the globe some of the main social issues concerning children
happen to be education, exposure of sexual abuse and drugs. In order to tackle these
concerns the childs own experience and needs to be acknowledged and utilized. As such
national and international campaigns to protect children have failed time n time again
simply because the childrens own life had not been taken to consideration. In other
words they failed because the children had not been granted their say.
In a fledgling democracy as ours there is a need for children to experience the
implications of democratic decision making. Young minds need to learn their duties and
rights and how these rights come together with the rights of others. They need to learn to
participate in democratic decision making processes and respect the views of others. They
need to understand that they too can influence outcomes. If all this is failed to be taught at
a tender age as adults they will feel that the democratic system does not work for them.
Subsequently there is a threat our nation may end up with an internal political struggle
leaving us vulnerable to external exploit.
Summing up I would like to point out being under the age of eighteen does not mean
children lack the mental capacities to think and make sound decisions. This been said I
very much hope child participation will be given a fair shot in Maldives not just because
it protects children and gives them valuable life skills but also because we as a nation can
only survive and thrive if our young voices are listened.