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Children as Actors for Transforming Society (C.A.T.S.)

A Transformative Gathering to Boost Child Participation Around the World

The Children as Actors for Transforming Society (C.A.T.S.) Forum was launched in 2012 by Initiatives of Change (IofC) France, in partnership with IofC Switzerland and Child to Child. In 2013, the Learning for Well-being Foundation joined as an official partner, and was later joined by:

  • M.E.O.W., a child and youth-led group (since 2016)
  • Eurochild, first as a co-organising partner (2015–2016) and then as an associate partner 

C.A.T.S. was hosted annually in Caux, Switzerland, and brought together diverse stakeholders united by one goal: advancing children’s rights and meaningful participation globally.

The Challenge

Although the right of children to be heard is enshrined in the UNCRC, many children across the world continue to face barriers to genuine participation.

C.A.T.S. emerged in response to the urgent need for intergenerational spaces where children and adults could experience equal collaboration—not just in theory, but in practice. The Forum tackled challenges such as:

  • Adult-dominated decision-making spaces
  • Lack of infrastructure for youth-led initiatives
  • Limited cross-border dialogue and peer learning in the field of child participation

C.A.T.S. was more than a conference, it was a living, participatory space.

For six editions (2012–2019), over 1,600 children and adults co-created a dynamic model for child participation. Activities were intentionally intergenerational, inclusive, and experience-driven, creating:

  • A platform for shared learning and collaborative action
  • A bridge between grassroots activism and global child rights advocacy
  • Real-life opportunities for children to be taken seriously as partners 

The Forum’s impact inspired the creation of:

  • National child participation networks (France, Israel)
  • School-based initiatives (Belgium)
  • Regional fora in Latin America and Asia

The C.A.T.S. Forum contributed to systems change by:

  • Normalising intergenerational collaboration in formal and informal settings
  • Strengthening child-led organising and leadership
  • Catalysing spin-off initiatives that extended participation beyond the event 

It also generated deep learning about the opportunities and limits of participation, transparency, and shared ownership across partners and contexts.

After six powerful years, the C.A.T.S. partnership came to a close in 2019.

While the Forum itself has ended, its legacy continues. The learnings, networks, and models it generated live on in new formats, aligned with each partner’s evolving focus and vision. C.A.T.S. remains a landmark initiative in the global child participation movement—proof that transformational spaces can be created when children are engaged not as beneficiaries, but as equal actors.

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