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Global Threat Assessment 2025
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Child Participation and Leadership

Why child participation matters

Children and survivors have the right to influence the policies, programmes, and services that affect them.

Safe and meaningful participation helps detect risks early and shape effective, child-centered interventions. That is why the Prevention Framework puts child participation and leadership at the very heart of the response.

The Global Threat Assessment 2025 highlights many examples of best practice that are already being carried out around the world to ensure child and youth voices are centred.

men and women gathered around a table

Principles for safe and meaningful participation

The Global Threat Assessment 2025 shows that children’s participation is not symbolic – it is strategic. Their voices help identify emerging risks faster than traditional research and shape prevention strategies that work in practice. When children lead, prevention becomes smarter and more proactive.

Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms every child’s right to be informed, express their views, and participate in decisions affecting their lives. 

The Lundy Model provides a practical framework for applying this right online, ensuring space, voice, audience, and influence.

Children’s voices must be heard at every stage of prevention, detection, and response.

Survivor, Philippines
lundy model

Features of meaningful participation applied to the digital environment. Diagram adapted from The Lundy Model by Lansdown G, Haj-Ahmead J et. al (2018)

UNICEF’s Spotlight Guidance offers best practices for engaging children in Digital Child Rights Impact Assessments. These approaches prioritise safety, quality, and children’s best interests. Child participation should only proceed when safeguarding measures and trauma-informed support are in place. If direct engagement is not possible, draw on insights from youth-serving organizations and existing evidence to ensure decisions remain child-informed.

Partnerships with child-led organisations amplify children’s insights and build trust across sectors. Initiatives like Mtoto News and VoiceBoxshow how youth leadership can act as an early warning system for policymakers and industry, helping prevent harm before it happens.

Examples of child-centred initiatives

What our members are doing
Mtoto News
Mtoto News (Kenya)

A digital platform enabling over 100,000 children to engage directly with leaders.
SnapInc
Snap Foundation’s Digital Well-Being Index

Engaging young people to share about their psychological well-being and experiences online.
besmart
BeSmartOnline (Malta)

A youth panel co-designs awareness strategies for safer internet use.
VoiceBox
VoiceBox (UK)

A global youth-led network amplifying diverse perspectives and spotting emerging risks early.

Examples of engaging marginalised and underrepresented children

Marginalised children—such as sexual and gender minorities, children with disabilities, and boys—face distinct online risks.

Consulting these groups ensures policies and programs are inclusive and effective.

disrupting
Disrupting Harm

Trauma-informed research across 25 countries.
GBI Logo Green Horizontal Transparent BG
ECPAT’s Global Boys Initiative

Documenting boys’ experiences of exploitation.
ourvoice
Protect Children’s Our Voice Male Survivors study

Gender-sensitive insights into abuse patterns.
sws
Secrets Worth Sharing

Survivor-led resources tailored to diverse identities.

Global Threat Assessment 2025

GTA 25 landscape

Download the Global Threat Assessment

Prevention Framework

Download the Prevention Framework

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