Participation is one of the fundamental human rights recognised by the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, and many other human rights treaties, declarations and resolutions. One
could understand right to participation not only as human right, but also as a basic principle
without which fulfilment of other rights is not possible.
It is through active participation that young people are empowered to play a vital role in their
own development as well as in the development of their communities. Through participation
and participatory processes, young people are able to impact their own lives, learn vital lifeskills,
gain knowledge on human rights and citizenship and to promote civic action. In order
to participate effectively, young people must have appropriate and youth-friendly institutional
frameworks and tools.
