ENYA 2026 “Let’s Talk Young, Let’s Talk About the Rights of LGBTQIA+ Children and Young People”

The ENYA project “Let’s Talk Young, Let’s Talk about the Rights of LGBTQIA+ Children and Young People” brought together children and young people from across Europe to discuss and explore ththe situation of LGBTQIA+ children and young peopleand contribute directly to discussions at European level. Based on the UNCRC Article 12 principle, the initiative promotes inclusive and meaningful child participation, child empowerment and children’s right to have their views taken into account.

Bringing Young Advisors from across Europe together

The 2026 edition of ENYA was coordinated by Laura McFall from the Office of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People and Timmy Hammersley from the Office of the Ombudsperson for Children in Ireland, with the ongoing support of the ENOC Secretariat.

Participants:

Twelve ENYA country teams participated in this year’s project, representing Andalusia/Spain, Basque Country/Spain, Belgium/Flanders, Catalonia/Spain, Cyprus, France, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, and Northern Ireland/UK.

Activities:

To kick-off the project, an ENOC  Online training on Child Participation and Child Protection when engaging with children and young people from the LGBTQIA+ community or those who are allies was held in February 2026. While the training was primarily designed to guide and support ENYA Coordinators when planning and delivering ENYA country activities, staff members in ENOC member institutions also attended the event. ENYA country Coordinators play a key role in in the implementation of the project: from recruiting, supporting and guiding Young Advisors to designing and delivering in-country sessions and ensuring selected young people’s participation in ENYA events.
From March to June 2026, participating ENYA teams carried out activities in their respective countries to discuss the experiences and challenges, LGBTQIA+ children and young people face in terms of respect for their rights. Through workshops, discussions with peers and experts, and spaces for personal reflection, Young Advisors shared their perspectives and identified key issues affecting the rights of LGBTQIA+ children and young people.

These national consultations provided the foundation for developing five rights-based recommendations in each participating country, reflecting the priorities and concerns raised by young people themselves.

ENYA Forum 2026:

The next stage of the project took place in July 2026, when two Young Advisors from each ENYA country or regional team met in Dublin, Ireland, for the ENYA Forum. During two days of exchanges, group discussions and collaborative sessions, participants reflected on the different recommendations submitted, recognised common areas of concern such as education, inclusion and social aspects, and worked together to shape a final set of joint recommendations.

Beyond providing a safe space for sharing insights, the Forum offered a great opportunity for young people to connect with peers from across Europe. By sharing their experiences and perspectives, participants discovered similarities between their realities while gaining insight into the diversity of contexts in which LGBTQIA+ children and young people live. The inclusive and supportive environment encouraged open dialogue and ensured that every participant could contribute to the final outcome.

The recommendations developed by ENYA 2026 will be reflected in the ENOC Policy Position Statement on Safeguarding and Advancing the Rights of LGBTQIA+ Children and will be presented by ENYA young representatives at the ENOC 30th Annual Conference, taking place on 30 September – 1 October 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.