Children's participatory budgets. The case of San Pedro de la Paz

Abstract

Regarding citizen participation, there are many experiences of implementation of various mechanisms, however, these spaces do not always consider citizens who are still in the formative stage. In this sense, this proposal focuses on the case of the Municipality of San Pedro de la Paz, which in 2017 adds to the participatory budgets that had been implemented since 2009, one aimed at children between 6 and 13 years old, giving them the space to participate and deliberate to decide the destination of the resources available to them for their benefit. This work presents the experience identifying weaknesses and strengths of the process in relation to citizen participation, using interviews and reports requested through transparency. After carrying out the study, it is clear that, on the one hand, the importance of considering children in public decisions is recognized, but that the process itself does not guarantee that the public interest, a key element in citizen participation, is considered in the final decision.