CHILDREN’S COUNCILS IN THE CONTEXT OF ROGER HART’S LADDER OF PARTICIPATION: A RIGHTS-BASED EVALUATION

Abstract

The transformation in the understanding of children’s rights has led to the recognition of children not only as individuals in need of protection but also as rights-holders whose views should be taken into consideration in decision- making processes. One of the most significant outcomes of this transformation has been the emergence of the right to participation as a fundamental component of children’s rights. Nevertheless, in practice, children’s participation often remains at a symbolic level, and children are unable to exert a genuine influence on decision-making processes. This study evaluates children’s councils operating within local governments in Türkiye within the framework of Roger Hart’s Ladder of Participation and the rights-based approach. The study concludes that although children’s councils constitute important mechanisms for children’s participation in democratic life, in practice they largely remain limited to the level of social activities and symbolic representation. It is argued that this situation resembles the forms of “tokenistic participation” identified in Hart’s Ladder of Participation. In this context, the study suggests that, in order to effectively realize children’s right to participation, children’s councils should be transformed into more functional, inclusive, and institutionally effective mechanisms capable of influencing decision-making processes.