Episode 13: Democratic values and child participation as a core philosophy featuring Butterflies in India

Family for Every Child: Conversations on Care

This podcast is the second episode on the topic of International Approaches to Child Participation. Children’s right to participation is protected in the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that children have the right to freely express their views on all matters and decisions that affect them, and to have those views taken into account at all levels of society. But, the right to participation is not only a right in itself;it is also a prerequisite for the exercise of all other rights within families, schools and the larger community context. While a huge diversity of initiatives to amplify children’s voices exists around the world, we know that, in order to have the best chance of being effective, participation approaches must be meaningful and adapted to the local context.

In this podcast Amanda Griffith, CEO of Family for Every Child speaks with Rita Panicker, Director of Butterflies, based in Delhi, India. Butterflies is one of the founding member organisations of the Family for Every Child Alliance and Rita was Vice-Chair of our Board between 2014 and 2019.

Since 1989, Butterflies has been working to protect and empower street connected and working children in India. Its work includes education, health care and media programmes as well as operating a child helpline. Butterflies’ believes in the right of every child to protection, respect, opportunities and participation in his or her own growth and development.
For more information on Butterflies India visit: https://www.familyforeverychild.org/butterflies