Children’s Participation in Decision-making: A Systematic Review of Concepts, Barriers, Enabling Factors, and Policy Implications

Children’s participation in decision-making is seen as a key right and vital for inclusive development, as they make up nearly one-third of Indonesia’s population. While there are laws and initiatives to promote child participation, it mostly remains symbolic and not practiced effectively. A study analyzed 1112 articles from academic sources, with 79 articles selected for in-depth examination. The results show that true participation means viewing children as active citizens rather than just recipients of adult decisions. This approach not only respects children’s rights but also leads to better public policies. Despite the positive potential of child participation, several challenges exist. Many adults doubt children’s ability to contribute meaningfully, creating power imbalances and reducing participation to mere tokens. Participatory platforms often fail to include marginalized children or those with disabilities, and a lack of awareness about rights and opportunities hinders effective engagement. On the other hand, helpful factors include strong legal frameworks, training for children and adults, and inclusive approaches that incorporate children’s views into governance. When carried out properly, child participation empowers children and leads to more effective policies. However, many children are still unaware of their rights and have low participation rates. Addressing these issues is urgent and requires focused efforts to break down barriers, improve engagement skills, and ensure children’s perspectives are integrated throughout the policy-making process. Meaningful child participation is essential for building a fair and inclusive society. Urgent actions are needed to make this a reality.