ABSTRACT
In recent years, Latin American countries have been at the forefront of initiatives for the political and social participation of children since children and young people have been demanding more space in the public sphere. Within Chile, where the question of how to institutionalise and legislate for the rights of children and adolescents has been an important part of democratic shifts in the last few decades, there is a growing debate on how young people’s participation can be fostered in policy processes. Drawing on evidence from participatory research exploring the experience of participatory policy-making with children, adolescents, and practitioners using the Mosaic approach, this case study reflects upon the structural power differentials which can forestall efforts to include young people in policy-making processes in Chile – even when adult practitioners are committed to their participation in principle.
