In focus: Children's Advisory Boards

Maia and members of the Plan Norway Children’s Advisory Board visit a community in Liberia, where they are working with young people to build a new school.

Plan’s partnership with Children’s Advisory Boards (CABs) is part of our commitment to ensure that children and young people have the opportunity to voice their opinions and influence decisions affecting their lives.

The boards are groups of young people supported by Plan, who engage with school authorities, the media, national development organisations and the United Nations to advocate for child rights. The boards also have the opportunity to influence Plan’s own approach to child rights.

Some of Plan's CABs include:

Canada

In Canada, the Youth Action Council works alongside Plan to speak for child rights nationally and internationally. Plan Canada provides resources and advice, and the partnership has been such a success that council members are keen to take the relationship further.

Jennifer is passionate about her involvement with the council: “I feel as if I am making the world a better place by communicating and associating myself with people that WANT to make the world a better place. Young people need to get off their backs and get involved because this world is soon to be ours.”

India

“When an organisation is engaged in tasks related to child welfare, it becomes important that the voice of children is heard clearly. A children’s board can give in their views about the various policies and programmes, and help it to make better and more child-friendly decisions,” says Kartik, aged 14, who is a member of Plan India’s CAB.

The board has recently lobbied the government against corporal punishment in schools. Members developed films and radio scripts and collected 14,000 signatures across 7 states.

Norway

Maia, aged 17, is clear about why she’s involved with Plan Norway’s CAB. “We want to feel that we have a say in Plan, and that the work we do matters. We don’t want to be a group that Plan has, just so they can say, ‘Yes, we involve youth’. Having a representative and an observer, on Plan Norway’s Board [of Directors] is important recognition for us. It shows us that CAB Norway is valued and appreciated by Plan.”

Find out more about Plan’s global work on child and youth participation.