The Children’s Manifesto

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The Children’s Manifesto 2026

The Children’s Manifesto 2026 is based on the aspirations of the Children’s Local Councils coordinated by the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, substantiated by evidence based on local and international research.

The Children’s Manifesto reflects the voices of all the children in sixty‑five Children’s Local Councils across Malta and Gozo, comprising over five hundred children across the islands. It highlights their desires for their communities, what makes them feel heard, included, healthy, safe, and informed. The children’s ideas and perspectives were gathered through monthly Children’s Local Council meetings and consultations with children within the Children’s Hub over the past few years.

This document presents evidence that supports the proposals which have been compiled within the Children’s Manifesto. Through a thorough literature search of empirical research, it has been possible to substantiate each proposal with either literature that supports children’s claims, explanatory studies to strengthen ideas, or examples of previous projects which have been successfully implemented with data to show for it. Although for most cases recent literature was sought, there are some themes for which older literature had to be used due to gaps in the research. It should also be noted that for very few proposals there was no relevant literature available.

The Children’s Manifesto 2021

Children and young people addressing a press conference in Valletta regarding The Children's Manifesto

HE Marie Louise Coleiro Preca together with children and young people addressing a press conference in Valletta regarding The Children's Manifesto

On the 20th of November 2021 the Children who form part of the Children and Young Persons’ Council within the same foundation published the Children’s Manifesto.

This manifesto reflects the aspirations of over twenty thousand children and young people living in Malta and Gozo on what makes them feel happy, heard, safe, and healthy. These perspectives were gathered over the last years through various consultation processes carried out by the Children’s Hub Team within the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society regarding various themes and topics. Some of these processes include initiatives taken in collaboration with the Council of Europe and the European Commission.

This Manifesto and the proposals listed were backed up by academic research organised by the Children’s Rights Observatory Malta (CROM), which is, a collaboration, between the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, and the Faculty for Social Wellbeing within the University of Malta.

The Children’s Manifesto is made up of 99 proposals split into five pillars — community and environment, health and wellbeing, education, diversity and inclusion, as well as children’s rights and active participation. The 99 proposals range from greener, safe open spaces, to childhood obesity campaigns, to cutting back burdensome curricula, promoting unity in diversity, as well as putting in place a functional young people’s parliament. The hundredth goal of the manifesto is for the proposals to be included in a national strategy for children, through the creation of a specific Department for the Rights of the Child at government level.