A/79/213 be consulted in the decision-making process and the child’s views are given proper consideration. 53. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has recognized empowerment as essential to realizing children’s rights, particularly during adolescence. 140 Children and adolescents in migration contexts often display high levels of resilience, motivation and ability to adapt quickly to new environments. 141 Moreover, migrant children and children from diasporas in destination countries support the integration of families and communities, promoting understanding of other cultures to help counter negative and harmful stereotypes and build social cohesion, and also transfer knowledge and skills to countries of origin. 142 By recognizing the strengths and abilities of children and adolescents in different migration settings, including the most marginalized, children are empowered to shape their lives and contribute to their communities, which fosters resilience, improves mental health and promotes social inclusion and civic participation. 143 54. Having inclusive child participation in policymaking processes not only protects children’s rights in migration contexts, supports integration and builds social cohesion, it also allows policymakers to benefit from the knowledge, dynamism, innovation, expertise and leadership of these children and adolescents in the design, implementation and evaluation of policies that affect them. 144 It recognizes that children and adolescents are key agents for change, at the forefront of efforts to promote and protect human rights, including by leading global efforts to make decision-making spaces inclusive to ensure that critical decisions are info rmed by diverse perspectives. 145 Migrant and displaced children are also at the forefront of addressing climate change, including risks associated with climate -induced displacement, by voicing their opinions and concerns, identifying solutions, promoting environmentally sustainable lifestyles and contributing to needs assessments in their communities. 146 55. The need for meaningful engagement of children and youth in decision -making processes has been reiterated by the Secretary-General in relation to the collective capacity to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, with the Sustainable Development Goals cutting across all aspects of migration, including in relation to children. To translate this into action, which includes in the context of migration governance, States have been urged to expand and strengthen youth participation in decision-making at all levels; make meaningful youth engagement a requirement in all United Nations decision-making processes; and support the establishment of a standing United Nations youth townhall. 147 III. Conclusion and recommendations 56. The Special Rapporteur welcomes efforts by some States to protect the rights of children in migration contexts, which offer some promising practices that can be replicated or scaled up. These include regional declarations and plans of __________________ 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 20/24 Committee on the Rights of the Child, general comment No. 20 (2016), para. 4. UNICEF, “Talent on the move: Listening to children and young people on the move” (July 2021), p. 19. IOM, “Youth and migration”, pp. 61 and 72. UNICEF, “Adolescent empowerment”, technical note, p. 5. IOM, “Youth and migration”, p. 79. Our Common Agenda policy brief 3: Meaningful youth engagement in policymaking and decision-making processes (April 2023), p. 6. UNICEF, IOM and Major Group for Children and Youth, “Children uprooted in a changing climate”, p. 17. Our Common Agenda Policy Brief 3, p. 3. 24-13410