In 2024, Act2gether Bolivia and EDUCO continued advancing child and adolescent participation through the second year of Empowering from the Root, a multi-layered initiative grounded in intergenerational partnerships. Designed as a rights-based intervention, the initiative fostered sustained civic engagement among children aged 4 to 18 in La Paz, enabling them to influence decisions in families, schools, and municipal institutions.
The project structure recognised the interconnected roles within the participation ecosystem:
- Rights holders: children aged 4-18 in EDUCO-supported schools
- Duty bearers: parents and guardians
- Obligation holders: teachers, school directors, and municipal officials
This structure ensured that participation became a systemic practice-not an isolated event-rooted in everyday environments.
Early Childhood: Laying the Foundations
A Toolbox for Participation was piloted in nine early childhood education units. It equipped 42 teachers to integrate rights-based methods into daily classroom activities, reaching 836 children aged 4 to 5. Educators reported marked improvements in children’s confidence, communication, and ability to make decisions about their learning environment.
Middle Childhood: Participation in Practice
Children aged 6 to 12 took the lead in a participatory grant-making process. In total, 1,883 children engaged in identifying local needs, forming promoter groups, and co-designing concrete projects for their schools and neighbourhoods. These actions offered early experiences in civic responsibility and democratic practice.
Adolescents: From Journalism to Policy Dialogue
Young people aged 13 to 18 used the methodology of Citizen Journalism to investigate educational issues affecting their communities. Their findings were presented in a formal exchange with the Municipal Committee of Children of La Paz, demonstrating how youth-led evidence can shape local dialogue and policy agendas.
By embedding participation tools in classrooms and fostering structured intergenerational dialogue, Empowering from the Root helped co-create an inclusive participation system from the bottom up.
