Not by simply claiming to be so, but by regularly examining how it operates—and by asking those whom its decisions affect. Children, parents, and the professionals concerned.
At the invitation of the Józsefváros District, (in Budapest) the Hintalovon Child Rights Foundation is conducting a comprehensive study in 2026 on the implementation of the Child-Friendly Józsefváros Concept. The aim of the research is to assess what has been achieved from the commitments made in recent years, what impact the measures have had on the lives of children living in the district, and in which direction the program should be further developed.
For us, however, this project is not merely impact assessment and research. It is a practical exploration of what child participation means within a municipal-level process.
Child participation is not a box to be ticked in a strategic document. It does not mean occasionally asking children what they think. It means giving them a role in preparing, evaluating, and redesigning decisions. If a concept is about children, then research assessing its implementation must also create space for their views.
Therefore, during the research process we will not only analyze statistical data and conduct professional interviews, but also ensure that children in Józsefváros can share their experiences. We are preparing an online questionnaire for them, organizing focus group discussions across different age groups, and involving Hintalovon’s Child Advisors in the design of the research tools. The process is also supported by the Józsefváros Youth Council.
We believe that research on participation must be participatory not only in its subject matter but also in its methodology. This is not merely a theoretical issue. Children express themselves differently, prioritize different aspects, and often bring perspectives into conversations that remain invisible to adult eyes. If these viewpoints are missing, the picture remains incomplete.
The research combines several methods. On the one hand, we review statistical data and institutional experiences from the period since 2022 to determine whether measurable changes have occurred in children’s situations. On the other hand, through questionnaires, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews, we examine how children, parents, and professionals in the district experience services, participation opportunities, and the functioning of the local community. The goal is not only evaluation, but development: based on the findings, we will formulate recommendations for the next phase of the Concept.
It is important to us that the results do not exist solely as professional documents. In addition to the full research report and an executive summary, we will present the findings in an accessible, child-friendly format so that they are returned to the district’s community—especially to children.
This project is closely connected to our ongoing work over the past years: cooperating with municipalities to strengthen child protection, publishing our annual Child Rights Report with child participation, and developing methodologies for meaningful child involvement in local decision-making. For us, child-friendly governance is not a communication label but a structural issue: how children’s rights are reflected in services, administration, community spaces, and decision-making processes.
The Child-Friendly Józsefváros research is part of this way of thinking. It is an opportunity for a city not only to speak about children, but also to learn from them—and to move closer to ensuring that children are not merely subjects of decisions, but active contributors to shaping their own community.
We thank the Józsefváros District Municipality for entrusting us with this research.
