The G20 Social Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro between November 14 and 16 2024 was an event set up by the General Secretariat of the Brazilian President and had the aim of engaging civil society in the global discussions. The debates centered around four themes: combatting hunger; poverty and inequality; climate change action with a just transition; and the reform of global government. 

With the participation of organizations, leaders and citizens, the G20 Social Summit provided a collaborative space for the development of initiatives and actions for the construction of more inclusive and sustainable public policies. 

Children and youth protagonism in global debates 

The protagonism of children and youth was promoted by the efforts of Children in the G20, a Brazilian Coalition which brought together national and international organizations. The group aimed to promote the inclusion and institutionalization of children and youth rights in the global discussion.  Inspired by the Brazilian experience, the coalition also hopes to create a precedent for future G20 meetings such as South Africa in 2025 and the United States in 2026. 

Among the achievements in 2024 was the delivery of a letter signed by more than 50 million children and adolescents in about 60 countries. This document, the fruit of a global consultation, presented central demands in the areas of climate change, an inclusive economy, combatting poverty, gender and racial equality and global governance. 

The Children’s Tent

The Children’s Tent, set up in the Maua Pier in Rio de Janeiro, was one of the main projects of the G20 Social Summit. The event promoted by Children in the G20 and organized by diverse partners including CIESPI at PUC-Rio, created an interactive and dynamic atmosphere where young people could express their opinions on the themes of the G20.  

The activities, which included games, conversation circles and debates, guaranteed that the young people could be protagonists in the exchange of ideas. CIESPI representative and researcher Carolina Terra participated actively in the coordination of the Tent, and manage to get an interview with the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic in which she highlighted the importance of listening to the voices of children in global spaces.

High level discussions about the rights of children and youth

In the Kobra Space on Olympic Boulevard, young people presented a statement fashioned by a global consultation and moderated a panel including national and international figures. They included the Brazilian Ministers of Human Rights and Citizenship, and Development and Social Assistance. 

A Policy Pack, a group of recommendations developed by the Children’s Coalition of the G20 with contributions from CIESPI was also presented. This document proposed concrete actions in the areas of mental health, education, gender equality, food security, and climate change as well as underlining the right of children and youth to participate in decision making processes. 

A landmark for children and youth protagonism in the G20 

The Children’s Coalition of the G20 promoted the formation of a working group dedicated to young people in the Group for Engaging Civil Society or at least the creation of an Engagement Group on this topic. This initiative inaugurates a new era of participation reaffirming the importance of considering the perspectives of children and youth in global decision. 

In addition to CIESPI at PUC-Rio, the group Children in the G20, includes ANDI-Communications and Rights, the Association of the Mental Health of Children, Catalyst 2030, Childhood, the Brazilian Coalition for the end of Violence against Children and Adolescents, FamilyTalks, the José Luiz Egydio Setúbal Foundation, the Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal Foundation, Global Mental Health Action Network, the Alana Institute, the Living Trees Network the Jo Clemente Institute, For the World Institute, ItnotheN Orygen, the National Plan, the Coalition for Early Childhood, Save the Children, Soulbeegood and the Strands-Mental Health Ecosystem

To learn more about this initiative click here.