Citizenship and governance
Children as informed participants in governance
Children in the role as key information providers for research projects
Authors:
P.J. Lolichen
Publisher:
Child Rights Information Network , 2006
In the recent past some progressive researchers have provided the space for children to ‘participate’ more intimately in the research process by giving them the role of information providers, key informants or data collectors. The impact of such research has been more beneficial to children and the resulting policies more constructive. This paper gives an overview of this from of participatory research.
The paper points out that research by children is a process where by children themselves identify research needs, set the research framework, design the methodology, develop and administer the tools, consolidate and analyse the findings and use the information to solve their problems.
The paper also provides a checklist of ethical issues that need to be considered when working with children as research protagonists. They include:
- the children who collect/generate information have complete ownership over that information. They can decide what to do with it. Their level of empowerment will determine how they will put it to use. The adult facilitators or any one else should take the permission of children to use any information generated by children
- the drawing of conclusions from the study should be done in consultation with the entire children’s organisation and the community affected, so that also their views are appropriately considered
- the children who decide to be researchers should be well informed about the process and all it involves
- the methodology and the tools that children use to do their research should stand scientific scrutiny. The logic and principles of scientific research must be adapted by the children in the methodology and the process of the research to ensure the quality of the research.
