The First Children's Embassy calls on political parties to avoid involving children in the upcoming parliamentary elections in any way. They request that parties make children a priority all year by improving living conditions, education, and social services, rather than just using children for political gain during campaigns. The Embassy will strongly react if children are present at political gatherings or rallies or used to distribute materials. They recommend parties introduce concrete measures to improve children's rights in their programs.

1. Call to the political parties
The First Children’s Embassy in the World Megjashi calls all political parties and their members in the pre-
election period to dedicate due attention to the children and their rights, especially not to involve them on any
manner during the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The political abuse of children and manipulation in order to gain political points by involving children in media
campaigns and political marketing has been a practice of the political parties in the past. Unfortunately, we
notice that this still continues. The Children’s Embassy Megjashi has already received a report about political
abuse of children in a media campaign where children are presented in a manner untypical for them, or as a
main motivator for political decisions which they do not understand. We believe that this is an attempt to affect
the wider public on an emotional basis through children, which is unacceptable for us, and their role is of a
visual and advertising character which is opposite of the core interests and needs of children.
We notice from our experience so far that children are priority of the political parties only during the election
period, especially in the political campaigns. Due to that reason we request the political parties to change their
approach and make children their focus 365 days in the year, especially in terms of improving the living
conditions, education, health, social services… but not in campaigns where they are abused as “décor” and
means for gaining political points. We expect children to finally become integral part of the political
programmes, to be asked about their opinions in creating those programmes and, finally, to realize what they
have promised. This would enable children to become active participants in creation of the programmes and
activities which affect them directly.
Having in mind the situation related to the coronavirus, we will strongly react if there is a noticed
presence of children during political gatherings and rallies, as well as dressing children with markings
of a certain political party, using children to distribute leaflets or putting up posters, taking
photographs or using children motifs, photographing with children or taking videos of children...
Aa a reminder, in 1991 the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia adopted the Declaration for Protection of
Children from Political Manipulation and Abuse. It reads: All and any type of political coercion and organization
of children as an instrument for political pressure and abuse as well as exposing their physical safety and
health shall be banned.
,The children are a special nation. Children are not national or religious leaders. They are a nation that has
never carried out any revolution or counter-revolution, nor has started any wars. Children are not the
question of the class or nation: children are the question of all questions. They are the nation that suffers
most in war clashes and human tragedies. CHILDREN ARE ONLY CHILDREN. (Quote from the Charter of
the First Children’s Embassy in the World Megjashi - Republic of Macedonia)

2. It is diminishing that there is no essential interest of the political parties to do more than including children in
political campaigns.
The First Children’s Embassy in the World Megjashi in its Periodical Report on Presence of Children’s Rights in
the Assembly already recommended the political parties to essentially introduce measures for improvement of
children’s rights in their political and election programmes for the early parliamentary election in 2020.
You can find additional information on the Periodical Report on Presence of Children’s Rights in the Work of
the Macedonian Assembly 01.07-20.12.2019 on the following link:
http://www.childrensembassy.org.mk/content/pdf/Periodicen%20Izvestaj_detskite%20prava%20vo%20Sobrani
eto.pdf
According to our research, the situation in the Assembly generally remains unchanged in view of the
discussions related to children’s rights for several years which paints clear picture about how political parties
and their representatives view children and their interests. Children are used for gaining political points in the
pre-election period, but there is very small interest about them after the elections. These children are future
voters and we should be aware and responsible in what kind of messages we send to them during their growth
and development.
We also call for the media not to advertise political videos which include children!