Introduction

In today's political discourse on the role of children in society, it would be a breach of etiquette not to emphasize children's citizenship. Most of the time, the discussants limit themselves to insist on children being citizens, though without specifying or supporting their assertion. Where children's citizenship is further described, it is usually defined as a becoming status, which children can acquire in a step-by-step process (‘citizens in the making’). The acquisition of citizenship is depicted as a learning process through which children have to go by themselves or be guided by an educator. In this context, children are invited to fight for their interests by participating in activities and programmes organized for them. To engage in such a program is seen as a practical test to prove that children are on the verge of turning into citizens or just became citizens.

This understanding of children's citizenship seems to me to be inadequate and wrong. In my opinion, children's citizenship is not merely a preparation for a future status, nor is it exhausted in a point by point or symbolic participation. It is also not covered by the so-called participation rights, which have been approved in the UNCRC for the first time under binding international law. The right of children to be heard and to take their views according to their age and maturity into account, as laid down in Article 12 of the UNCRC, reserves the final decision making for adults and the bodies they dominate.