ภาษาไทย 
Vietnamese
Governments and societies across the world consistently underrate the value of children as agents of change. It is essential for adults and children to recognise that boys and girls have full human rights and are capable of making a difference in their own lives, communities and society at large.
Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (UNCRC) states that children and young people have the right to express their views freely in matters affecting them. Children’s views should be taken into consideration in any judicial and administrative proceeding and be given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity.
Children's opinions and experiences can have a significant effect in improving the quality of decisions and initiatives that affect them. In all of Save the Children Sweden’s work, children and young people are regarded as partners. We facilitate children and young people to speak out on the issues that concern them and empower them to bring about positive changes in their lives.
We also work to ensure that all children are given equal opportunities to participate, and for this reason we emphasise the needs of children in vulnerable situations and children who are subjected to discrimination.
In Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Save the Children Sweden works with partners to support and facilitate girls and boys to express their opinions and raise issues that concern them. We also build the skills, knowledge and competence of partners and local governments to integrate children’s participation in planning, implementation, and monitoring of development plans. We support the formation of children’s groups in schools and communities and help to strengthen their skills so that they can become effective in claiming their rights and those of other children in their communities.
Children’s participation matters because
• It is a key right in the UNCRC and is a fundamental principle for achieving all other rights set out in the Convention.
• Listening to children leads to improved programmes, policies, and practices. Children often highlight issues that adults do not necessarily prioritise or see as a major concern.
• The process of being involved empowers children.
• Participation enables girls and boys from various backgrounds to exercise their influence, organise themselves, and take action.