Leave the pickney out – Why children don’t belong in political campaigns

When safeguarded by the State, children are encouraged to exercise their civil and political rights. While these rights may manifest themselves differently from those of adults, they remain essential to a healthy democracy.

The Jamaican Constitution, through the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, guarantees every citizen — including minors — certain inalienable rights. Section 13(3)(b) affirms the right to liberty and security of the person, and Sections 13(3)(c) and 13(3)(d) uphold freedom of thought, conscience, belief, and expression. These provisions align with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), particularly Articles 12 and 15, which emphasise children’s right to be heard and to peacefully assemble.

However, the Child Care and Protection Act, Jamaica’s legislative response to the UNCRC, underscores the “best interests of the child” as the guiding principle. Political participation must, therefore, ensure safety, dignity, and informed engagement - not partisan exposure. Children must not be coerced, directly or indirectly, into serving as spokespeople for agendas they neither fully understand nor have legal authority to influence. Political rallies and campaigns, often charged with rhetoric and unpredictable crowds, carry risks that outweigh any benefit of early exposure to politics. These events are designed for adults, not the safety and well-being of developing minds.

UNICEF cautions that while children may attend rallies, such gatherings must not expose them to manipulation, harm, or distress. In Jamaica, the Children’s Advocate advises attendance only under the supervision of a responsible adult, preferably with parental consent.

COGNITIVE REALITIES

While many minors can grasp and discuss political issues, they are more vulnerable to emotional influence, oversimplification, and pressure from authority figures, making independent, well-informed decision-making inconsistent.

Biologically, the human brain reaches 90–95% of its adult size by age six, but size does not equal maturity. The prefrontal cortex responsible for reasoning and impulse control remains underdeveloped during adolescence, leading to slower communication between brain regions. Teenagers also experience heightened sensitivity to emotional highs and lows due to increased dopamine activity, which can intensify political rhetoric.

Research shows that political interest often emerges in early adolescence but is shaped heavily by parental involvement, socioeconomic status, and exposure to civic role models. By age 15, disparities in political engagement frequently reflect class and educational differences. For this reason, most countries reserve formal political acts, such as voting, for those aged 18 and over, to protect against manipulation and ensure informed decision-making.

CIVIC DUTY WITHOUT RISK

Minors should be encouraged to question, explore, and engage in political discussion. However, international and regional guidelines strongly discourage their participation in political campaigns. UNICEF warns that political events can expose children to risks, including physical altercations, stampedes, harassment, and even abduction.

The tragic death of 15-year-old Lamar Grey, who fell from a political campaign bus in Portmore, underscores these dangers. Following the incident, the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica urged political parties to prohibit unaccompanied minors from participating in motorcades. Children’s Advocate Diahann Gordon Harrison added that if children attend political events, they should do so only with responsible adult supervision and in safe environments.

A SLIPPERY SLOPE

Exposure to political campaigning can influence a young person’s identity and worldview. Developmental psychologist Erik Erikson identifies adolescence (ages 12–19) as a critical stage in identity formation when individuals explore values, interests, and beliefs. Political engagement, when responsibly managed, can promote critical thinking, a sense of purpose, and community awareness.

However, these benefits are often undermined by the realities of political events: poor supervision, biased messaging, and emotionally charged atmospheres. Such environments can lead to anxiety, overstimulation, and even trauma. They may also encourage premature adoption of rigid political ideologies, limiting openness to alternative perspectives. Without unbiased, protective guidance from adults, these risks are amplified.

POLITICIANS MUST EXERCISE RESPONSIBILITY

There is no justification for involving minors — anyone under 18 — in partisan political campaigns. Too often, children are used to promote propaganda, shaping public sentiment and influencing votes. This fosters conformity, pressuring them to adopt their parents’ ideologies without space to think critically or independently.

The UNCRC affirms every child’s right to freedom of thought, conscience, and expression. Immersing minors in partisan politics undermines these rights by shaping their political views before they can make informed choices.

Our responsibility is to ensure children’s civic involvement is age-appropriate, ethical, and free from coercion. Political rallies, with their volatility and potential for harm, are not suitable venues for this development.

BALANCING AWARENESS WITH ETHICS

Ethically, children must never be used as campaign props. They are emerging citizens whose rights and dignity deserve respect. Advocacy groups and media have called for political campaigns to uphold ethical standards and remove minors from partisan imagery.

This does not mean shielding children entirely from politics. Political awareness, when introduced through safe, structured, and age-appropriate forums, helps cultivate informed citizens. Civic education in schools, community centres, and youth organisations can offer opportunities for young people to explore different viewpoints, critically assess policies, and form their perspectives without partisan pressure.

PROTECTING THE NEXT GENERATION

The responsibility is clear: children must be protected from environments that endanger their safety or compromise their intellectual independence. Their political education should be grounded in discussion, learning, and critical engagement not shaped by exposure to campaign theatrics.

By ensuring that children grow into civic life through education rather than indoctrination, we safeguard both their future and the integrity of our democracy.

We stand together. Leave the pickney out!

Authored by Africka Stephens, Tasheera Thompson, Malcolm-Jamal Newland and Shakaylia Knight of Fi We Children Foundation (FWCF) is a youth led social justice NGO for children and youth in Jamaica. Send feedback to info@fiwechildren.org or X (formerly Twitter) @fwcfja.