This toolkit is for teachers and schools. It explains why a child rights approach to participation is important and how to facilitate it in schools. Section I is aimed at educators who work with children of all ages. It explains the basic requirements and process to follow to facilitate child participation that is inclusive of all children. Section I applies to any school setting, whether or not the school is part of a UNICEF Child Rights Schools (CRS) initiative.

Section II is aimed at schools which are part of a UNICEF CRS initiative. Rights-based child participation is an essential integral component of the CRS initiative. It is one of the minimum requirements set out in the 2022 UNICEF CRS Framework. Section II of this toolkit helps schools to unpack what this means in practice. It provides practical tips on how to embed rights-based child participation into the planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluating and learning of the initiative at the level of individual schools.

Annex E provides additional information on rights-based participation for UNICEF National Committees and country offices who are designing and implementing CRS initiatives overall.