Children’s rights in the driving seat?

Muddles in the interface between policy, programme and information about children since 1989

Child and Youth Research Network Child and Youth Research in the 21 st Century: A critical Appraisal European University Cyprus 28-29 May 2008 Judith Ennew ©

Where am I coming from?

Lao PDR May 2008

World Vision Laos and local government health department • • • • • • • HIV/AIDS and safe migration Children aged 8-14 years 20 staff and volunteers with no research experience Five days to train and write researchers’ manual Two weeks for data collection in four villages of two districts Analysis workshop and on-the job training in data analysis Baseline data report two months after commencement

Timor-Leste ‘research evaluation’ of UNICEF partnerships November 2007 • • • • Imposition of ‘conflict resolution’ in a world of ghosts UNICEF definition of ‘child protection’ – Protection from abuse, exploitation and violence Partners’ definition – Protection from malnutrition and illiteracy UN Peacekeeping force and poverty

Children, human rights and policy-related research What is the relationship?

The human rights of children are not A UNICEF welfare project A Save-the-Children innovation • • • • Twentieth-century human rights’ principles Dignity Equality Non-discrimination Participation

The human rights of children

• • • • Dignity Equality Non-discrimination Participation • PLUS • • • • Best interests of the child Provision Developing capacities Protection

UNCRC 1979 to the twenty-first century • • • • 1979 United Nations Year of the Child 1979-89 Drafting process NGO driven 1990 Summit UNICEF driven – Universal ratification goal – Summit goals 2002 Special Session – World fit for children – World fit for us

UNICEF and children’s rights

• • • • Post World War II ‘Children’s Emergency Fund’ Child Survival Revolution Joined reluctantly in 1988 Information management: management by goals – Universal ratification – Silver bullet statistics – Summit goals, midterm review, Special Session – Almost no child protection information – Child rights: Public Affairs/CEDC (CNSP) – Monitoring – indicators – MICS

• • Governments report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child Committee role and composition Country reports from 1992 – Not about children – Little data beyond health and education – Not children-centred statistics – Not rights-based information • Monitoring children’s rights – an unsolved issue

Millennium stimuli to research on/with/about children • Reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child – Data needed on ‘protection’ issues • ‘Rights-based’ programming

Model Focus Economic development Services Human development Needs Rights-based development Rights Strategic questions How to deliver – and how much? How many people are in need ?

How much is needed?

How many people in need do not receive (social exclusion)?

Is this what people want? (participation and empowerment)?

Integrated programming.

Are we delivering rights – or claiming them?

Evaluation questions How many people?

Where?

How well?

Cost?

Needs assessment Does the delivery meet the needs?

Who is excluded?

Why? What are their problems? And solutions?

Are children and their dignity respected?

Millennium stimuli to research on/with/about children • Academic progress – New sociology of childhood – Children’s geographies – Children are social actors and subjects of research – ‘Participatory methods’ (‘children’s voices’) – Ethics of research with children

The right to be properly researched • • • • Article 12: Opinion Article 13: Modes of expression Article 3a: Standards Article 36: Other forms of exploitation Basic principles of dignity and respect

Children ’ s right to be properly researched means • • • • Participation of children (including as researchers) Appropriate methods (design and informed consent) Scientific method Ethical behaviour of adults (reduce power difference, accept responsibility)

21 st century research/policy interface in the Global South characterized by • • • • • • • • • Mutual misunderstanding Failure to understand rights, Lack of familiarity with CRC Lack of familiarity with advances in theories of childhood and child-research methods Pet consultants and institutes Gender/women/general Different organizational goals Different research goals on both sides (not participatory) How to commission and how to read research?

Donor-driven topics

Muddle 1 Participation of children in research

‘Participatory methods’?

• • • • ‘Methods’ and ‘methodology’ Participatory approach Basis in practice as well as rights Feel-good participation

UNICEF (for example)

• • • Cannot pay children as researchers Has no child protection policy Does not have staff researchers

Muddle 2 Scientific method

Note that I do not say ‘methods’ • • Scientific method implies a systematic approach to – – – – Research questions Research tools Analysis Conclusions And scientific research is ethical research Systematic curiosity

Unscientific method in policy based research • • • • • • • • Non replicable ‘ surveys ’ Inappropriate methods for children Single method No control group Anecdotes ‘ Case studies ’ ‘ Rapid ’ assessment Feel-good participation

Advocacy data and scientific data • • • • • • • Commercial sexual exploitation of children Numbers games Shocking stereotypes Recognition of a problem Research Skewing the abuse field ‘CSEC’

Muddle 3 Models of scientific research • • • • • • • Children are objects of research Psy-complex Medical Welfare Pathology Mistaken notion of physical sciences Mistaken distinction qualitative/quantitative

Muddle 4 ‘Quantitative and qualitative’ research and children • Quantitative • • • Questionnaires Parents and teachers Psychometric tests Qualitative • ‘Case studies’ in ‘boxes’ • Drawings used as report illustrations

Which is ‘best’?

Qualitative or quantitative?

Data quality Depends on conditions at the point of data collection

Low birth weight

Quantitative information is essential • • • • • Policy makers and planners need numbers Impact monitoring needs numbers Children have the right to be properly researched Children ’ s ‘ voices ’ and drawings are worth more than anecdotes and illustrations But Without words, numbers mean nothing

Systematic use of ‘ qualitative ’ methods Can result in scientific numerical information

Muddle 5 Definitions

Anything can be measured As long as it is properly described

Definitions - for measurement

What ‘counts’ as… • • • • Children with disabilities?

Child protection?

Corporal punishment?

Child/youth/adolescent • Wellbeing?

From rice to rights

–

and back

Service based Needs based Wellbeing -based Rights based How much rice?

How many people?

Where?

How well?

Cost?

Basic needs Needs assessment Does the delivery meet the needs?

Health Schooling Safety Psychosocial measures goal-oriented Who is excluded?

Who is not protected?

What are their perspectives? And solutions?

Are children and their dignity respected?

‘UNICEF’ definition of well-being in rich nations • Six dimensions used for ranking (40 indicators) – Material wellbeing – Health and safety – Education – Family relationships – Behaviours and risks – Young people’s own subjective sense of well being – Jobs and income – Health care and injury – Schooling – Family structure – Sex and drugs and rock’n’roll – According to three adult criteria • Health rating • • Liking school Life satisfaction scale

Wellbeing = Welfare No mention of • • Child work/exploitation Social justice • Violence against children other than violence between children – No violence within the family – No violence by teachers – No abuse…….

Unrealistic view of rich countries - irrelevant in poor countries

Counting the un-measurable?

• • Claim that the ‘concept of well-being’ is guided by the CRC ‘The implied definition of child well-being that permeates this report is one that wil also correspond to the views and experience of a wide public’ Who are the members of this ‘wide public’?

Consequences for children of being improperly researched • • • • Nothing happens Worse things happen Disparities enhanced Children, families and communities loose faith in both policy and research • • • Careers, jobs and status of adults Organizational goals and relative positioning Lurch management because of donor fashions

Roles and responsibilities of governments • • • • • (If they have any role or power at all) Build competence in reading and using research Research ethics (NGOs and tsunami/RERP) Monitor researcher behaviour – academics also abuse children Apply sanctions

Roles and responsibilities of researchers and research bodies?

• • • • • • Expand the discourse outside academic circles – and make it intelligible Focus on normal as well as pathological aspects of childhood Learn to use appropriate, rights-based methods Recognize that children-led/participatory research must have numbers if it is to be relevant to policies and planning Build, maintain and reinforce capacity in both the Global North and South Address the mutual misunderstandings at the interface between policymakers and researchers • • • Disseminate publications and reports – including to children Be prepared to be whistleblowers – ‘Academic freedom’ Ongoing monitoring of data quality and research ethics (with sanctions)