Discurso sobre “infancia”. Categoría en disputa en la instalación del Sistema sobre Garantías y Protección Integral de la Niñez y la Adolescencia en Chile.

This article analyzes childhood as a contested sociohistorical category, exploring how the adult discourse shapes its recognition as a rights-bearing subject and political actor in the context of the implementation of Law 21.430. Through a thematic analysis based on discourse, tensions between protection and participation are examined, highlighting adult-centric structures and challenges for a transformative conceptualization of childhood. The study concludes that structural barriers limiting children’s agency persist, and that cultural and institutional changes are needed to ensure their effective participation.