Children’s Participation - Lebanon

Trainers worked with about two thousand three hundred children to reinforce children's participation. The children were chosen to represent all the Lebanese regions, the different age groups, and the different sectors: working children, children in conflict with the law, and children with special needs. Two workshops were specially organized for the physically handicapped and the blind children, as these two sectors were not represented in the chosen groups.

Youth, children, rights, political development, tolerance.

The children participating in these activities had the chance to express their joy, fear, and problems. They then prioritized these problems, suggesting solutions, and electing members of their own groups to represent them in the presentation of these problems to the concerned officials or decision makers. "I am happy to discuss my problems with children from all the Lebanese regions, handicapped or not, and to participate in solving them," declared Siham Saleh, a 14 year old physically handicapped who for the first time had the chance to have her voice heard.