Noticias

For decades, decisions about children were made by adults. Today, thanks to the Joining Forces Bolivia alliance, made up of Save the Children, Terre des Hommes, World Vision, SOS Children’s Villages, ChildFund and Educo, thousands of children and adolescents are showing that they not only have the right to be heard, but that their views can transform the way the State plans and responds to their needs.

My Voice Matters is one of the broadest child and adolescent participation and advocacy initiatives promoted by civil society organizations in Bolivia. Its objective is clear: to turn survey data and the proposals of children and adolescents into evidence capable of influencing public decision-making.

The scope of this experience has been extraordinary. Through two national consultations conducted across the country’s nine departments, more than 25,000 children and adolescents shared their views on protection from violence, education, health, participation and other issues that are fundamental to their development. The first consultation, in 2022, involved 11,000 participants, while the second edition, launched in 2025, exceeded 14,000, also incorporating the voices of historically excluded groups, such as working adolescents, children with disabilities, Indigenous peoples and adolescents who have lost family care.

The greatest value of My Voice Matters lies not in the number of participants, but in its ability to turn participation into real advocacy. The results were shared with municipal governments and national authorities; spaces for child and adolescent leadership were strengthened; intergenerational training processes were promoted; and direct dialogues between decision-makers and children and adolescents were encouraged.

Thanks to this process, seven municipalities carried out, for the first time, public accountability sessions specifically aimed at children and adolescents, setting a precedent in local public management. Likewise, the evidence generated by the consultation contributed to national planning processes, providing inputs for strategic instruments such as the 2026–2030 Economic and Social Development Plan.

My Voice Matters has shown that when children participate meaningfully, public policies become more inclusive, legitimate and effective. More than a consultation, this initiative represents a paradigm shift: recognizing children and adolescents as citizens with the capacity to analyze, propose and influence change.