Zagreb - At the 15th meeting with members of parliament, young representatives of children's councils and forums from cities and municipalities across Croatia stressed the importance of investing in schools and children, as well as the significance of empathy and mental health for children's development.
The meeting, organised by the parliament's Committee on the Family, Youth and Sports in cooperation with the Alliance of Societies 'Naša djeca' (Our Children), brought together Croatian MPs and children aged 9 to 15 who contribute to improving the position of children and young people through their involvement in local communities, the Croatian parliament said in a press release on Thursday.
This provided young representatives of children's councils, forums, and members of the National Forum of the Eurochild Children's Council of Croatia with an opportunity to discuss topics they identified as important during their upbringing.
Around thirty young participants, accompanied by their mentors, represented children's forums and councils from all over Croatia.
The children discussed the challenges and benefits of the full-day school programme, the School for All model, children's financial literacy, empathy, the right to education, family, privacy and the importance of children's play. They also addressed issues such as diversity, peer violence and the right to participate in decision-making concerning children and young people.
"Invest in schools, invest in us," the students said, also discussing the future of education. They also underscored the importance of empathy and mental health for children's development.
The State Secretary at the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, Iva Ivanković, highlighted the importance of ensuring that children's voices are heard and stressed that the government is working to ensure that every child in Croatia can live a safe life and has access to education at all levels.