Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project

What Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project does

The Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project (CYFGP) is a Geneva-based non-profit organization founded in 2022 by Louise Thivant, operating under Swiss Zewo-standards for charitable organizations. It employs approximately ten staff and is governed by an independent Board of Directors alongside a formally constituted Child and Youth Advisory Board (CAYAB) that holds voting rights on organizational decisions, embedding the organization's own co-governance thesis into its statutes. The organization's mission is to embed child and youth participation in decision-making processes globally.

CYFGP's product surface comprises four core service lines — Advisory Services, Programs, Consultations with Children, and Annual Reports — supported by two open-access resource platforms: the Knowledge Hub (frameworks, guidance documents, and UN Convention on the Rights of the Child resources) and the Inspiring Practices database of case studies from countries including Portugal, Mongolia, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Vanuatu, and Brazil. The underlying technology stack is non-software: delivery rests on expert advisory, participatory methodologies grounded in the Lundy Model, and partner-amplified convening rather than a proprietary platform.

The business model is donation-based, with funds sourced from individuals, foundations, and organizations, and no fee is charged for advisory services or programs. Go-to-market is hybrid: event-driven engagement at international conferences and panel discussions; inside-sales style advisory and capacity-building engagements; and ecosystem delivery through a partnership network that includes UNICEF, Save the Children, World Vision, Eurochild, the EU, the Council of Europe, and ITU. Customer segments span governments and public service providers, NGOs and institutions, foundations, corporations (CSR), schools and kindergartens, and academia.

Name

Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project

Legal name

Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project

Website

https://childfriendlygovernance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project is a Geneva-based non-profit founded in 2022 that helps governments, institutions, foundations, corporations, and schools embed child and youth participation in decision-making through advisory services, programs, consultations with children, and open-access knowledge resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Rights Advisory and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Rights & Protection (BPADAGAG), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Policy, Governance & Board Administration (EDAJAHAG)

Keywords

• Child participation governance
• Advisory services non-profit
• Child rights capacity building
• Knowledge hub resources
• Participatory consultations children

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: The organization operates on a donation-based model where individuals and organizations can contribute to support the mission. The donation page states: 'Your donation is used where it is needed most and enables children to develop critical life skills, access services tailored to their needs, and restore faith in democracy.'

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project is a non-profit advisory and knowledge organization that helps governments, NGOs, foundations, schools, and corporations embed child participation and child-friendly governance into their decision-making. It delivers tailored advisory services, structured programs, facilitated consultations with children, and a public Knowledge Hub containing tools, guidance documents, and the Inspiring Practices case study database, all grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Lundy Model.

Product overview

The Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project is a non-profit advisory and advocacy organization that does not offer a software product. Instead, it provides a portfolio of services including advisory services, programs for fostering child participation, consultations with children, and resource platforms (Knowledge Hub and Inspiring Practices). These offerings work together to support governments, institutions, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders in implementing child-friendly governance practices and strengthening children's voices in decision-making processes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advisory Services Expert consulting and technical support to help organizations and institutions implement child-friendly governance practices and child participation frameworks. Pour cible: governments, NGOs, foundations, corporations, and other institutions.
• Programs Structured initiatives focused on fostering commitment to child-friendly governance, enhancing awareness of child rights, strengthening systems and capacities, and building evidence-driven approaches. For target audiences including governments, NGOs, foundations, corporations, schools, and academia.
• Consultations with Children Facilitated participatory processes enabling children and young people to contribute their views and recommendations on decisions affecting their lives. Used by governments, institutions, and international bodies to capture children's input on policy issues.
• Knowledge Hub Comprehensive digital repository containing tools, guidance documents, and resources including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, General Comments, and practical implementation guides for practitioners. Free for self-directed learning by practitioners, governments, and institutions.
• Inspiring Practices Curated case study collection showcasing successful child participation initiatives from countries including Portugal, Mongolia, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Vanuatu, and Brazil. For governments, institutions, and practitioners seeking proven models.
• Me & AI Global Survey Global research initiative gathering children and young people's views and recommendations on the impacts of AI, culminating in the Me & AI Children and young people's report. For governments, regulators, and AI policymakers.

Quantifiable outcome

• In Brazil's PCU initiative: Homicide rate among children aged 10-19 decreased from 136 to 98.2 per 100,000 in Fortaleza; Death rate from external causes decreased from 69.9 to 22.4 per 100,000 in Manaus
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF is listed as a key partner and supporter of the organization. The organization works with UNICEF on various initiatives including child-friendly cities programs, consultations with children on digital environments, EU Child Rights Strategy, and youth advocacy efforts.
• Save the ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and supporter. The organization builds on the contributions of Save the Children and collaborates on initiatives including children's rights reporting, youth advocacy guides, and child participation frameworks.
• World VisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner. The organization collaborates with World Vision on child participation initiatives. World Vision's Director of Child Participation and Rights (Patricio Cuevas-Parra) contributes as a blog author.
• EurochildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner and supporter. Eurochild is a European network of organizations working with and for children towards inclusive societies where children have rights fulfilled.
• SOS Children's VillagessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization supporting the work of the Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project.
• The LEGO FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe organization's new Chair, Kasper Ottosson Kanstrup, previously served as Global Program Director at The LEGO Foundation and brings expertise in child-focused programs.
• BRACsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization. BRAC is one of the largest NGOs in the world working on development issues including child rights.
• European Union (EU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through various initiatives including consultations with children ahead of European elections, EU Child Rights Strategy, and child participation in EU political life studies.
• Council of EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization. The organization references Council of Europe publications including the Handbook on children's participation and Child Participation Assessment Tool.
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on panel discussion regarding child- and youth-friendly governance in a digitalized world.
• Child Rights ConnectsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as partner organization providing resources including 'The Rights of Child Human Rights Defenders: Implementation Guide'.
• The Concerned for Working ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner organization. Board member Kavita Ratna serves as Director of Advocacy. CWC pioneered child rights and right to self-determination in India since 1980s, nominated for Nobel Peace Prize three times.
• Plataforma InfanciasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization. Spanish network working for children's rights.
• ChildFund AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as co-author of 'Our Europe, Our Rights, Our Future' report on children's views ahead of European elections.
• European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer Board member Bruce Adamson served as Chair of ENOC, which partnered with UNICEF on Child Rights Impact Assessments during the pandemic.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Eurochild: A European network of organizations working with and for children, based in Brussels. Eurochild is a current core partner of CYFGP and overlaps on virtually identical mandates around child participation in EU policy, governance, and rights-based practice.
• International Bureau for Children's Rights (IBCR): A Montreal-based international organization supporting child protection and justice systems, including child participation in decision-making. IBCR's mandate to strengthen child welfare systems and build practitioner capacity closely mirrors CYFGP's advisory/programs portfolio.
• Defence for Children International (DCI): An independent international NGO promoting and protecting children's rights through child-led advocacy, litigation support, and capacity building. DCI shares CYFGP's advisory and child-participation focus, but with a stronger legal-rights and individual-case orientation.
• Child Rights International Network (CRIN): A London-based international nonprofit network focused on children's rights and participation. CRIN is the closest direct functional peer to CYFGP, sharing the focus on advancing children's rights through advocacy, knowledge tools, and engagement with governments and multilateral bodies.
• Concerned for Working Children (CWC): A pioneer of child participation and child rights in India since the 1980s, nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. CWC is a CYFGP core partner and shares the foundational premise of children as actors in their own governance.

Broad incumbents

• Terre des Hommes: A large, established federation of child-rights NGOs operating globally with significantly larger budgets and country programs. Compares to CYFGP on child participation and advocacy, but serves a broader welfare and protection mandate through many independent national chapters.
• ChildFund Alliance: An alliance of child-focused development agencies working across more than 60 countries. ChildFund is a CYFGP partner on reports and EU advocacy and is comparable as a large federation-level player driving child participation in policy and rights agendas.
• Plan International: A global child-rights and girls' rights organization with extensive country offices and donor footprint. Plan International's child-participation methodology and youth-led programming make it a broad incumbent peer for CYFGP's advisory and consultation work.

Others

• Bernard van Leer Foundation: A private foundation focused on early childhood development and city-level pilots. Although it funds rather than delivers programs, it is a relevant adjacent peer because it shapes the same thematic agenda (urban child participation, civic engagement of young children) that CYFGP supports.

Emerging players

• UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight: UNICEF's research arm producing evidence and frameworks on child rights, including the Lundy Model space. Innocenti occupies a knowledge-and-evidence role very similar to CYFGP's Knowledge Hub and Inspiring Practices functions, with greater institutional backing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/child-friendly-governance-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project