Children and society

The role of children in society is complex and often defined by a collective adult judgement on when and how young people should participate.

Despite this, children and young people across the globe continue to demonstrate their desire to be active participants in society and to have their voices heard. Most recent examples include inspiring figures such as Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai, and cover topics ranging from global climate strikes to the demand from 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK to be given the right to vote.

A child’s ability to be heard and play an active role in society is often dependent on many of the same factors as adults: race, gender, socioeconomic background and education. An international project led by The University of Manchester has been looking at how young people find and use their voice for empowering change.