Children’s rights in the driving seat? Muddles in the interface between policy, programme and information about children since 1989 Judith Ennew Child and Youth Research Network Child and Youth Research in the 21 st Century: A critical Appraisal European University Cyprus May 2008 ©

Where am I coming from? Lao PDR May 2008

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

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

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

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

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 United Nations Year of the Child Drafting process NGO- driven Drafting process NGO- driven 1990 Summit UNICEF driven 1990 Summit UNICEF driven –Universal ratification goal –Summit goals 2002 Special Session 2002 Special Session –World fit for children –World fit for us

UNICEF and children’s rights Post World War II ‘Children’s Emergency Fund’ Post World War II ‘Children’s Emergency Fund’ Child Survival Revolution Child Survival Revolution Joined reluctantly in 1988 Joined reluctantly in 1988 Information management: management by goals 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 Committee role and composition Country reports from 1992 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 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 Reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child –Data needed on ‘protection’ issues ‘Rights-based’ programming ‘Rights-based’ programming

Model Economic development Human development Rights-based development FocusServicesNeedsRights 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 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 12: Opinion Article 13: Modes of expression Article 13: Modes of expression Article 3a: Standards Article 3a: Standards Article 36: Other forms of exploitation 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) Participation of children (including as researchers) Appropriate methods (design and informed consent) Appropriate methods (design and informed consent) Scientific method Scientific method Ethical behaviour of adults (reduce power difference, accept responsibility) Ethical behaviour of adults (reduce power difference, accept responsibility)

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

Muddle 1 Participation of children in research

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

UNICEF (for example) Cannot pay children as researchers Cannot pay children as researchers Has no child- protection policy Has no child- protection policy Does not have staff researchers Does not have staff researchers

Muddle 2 Scientific method

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

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

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

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

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

Data quality Depends on conditions at the point of data collection Which is ‘best’? Qualitative or quantitative?

Low birth weight

Quantitative information is essential Policy makers and planners need numbers Policy makers and planners need numbers Impact monitoring needs numbers Impact monitoring needs numbers Children have the right to be properly researched Children have the right to be properly researched Children ’ s ‘ voices ’ and drawings are worth more than anecdotes and illustrations Children ’ s ‘ voices ’ and drawings are worth more than anecdotes and illustrations But 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? Children with disabilities? Child protection? Child protection? Corporal punishment? Corporal punishment? Child/youth/adolescent Child/youth/adolescent Wellbeing? 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? HealthSchoolingSafety Psychosocial measures Who is excluded? Who is not protected? What are their perspectives? And solutions? Are children and their dignity respected? goal-oriented

‘UNICEF’ definition of well-being in rich nations Six dimensions used for ranking (40 indicators) 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 Child work/exploitation Social justice Social justice Violence against children other than violence between children 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 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’ ‘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 Nothing happens Worse things happen Worse things happen Disparities enhanced Disparities enhanced Children, families and communities loose faith in both policy and research Children, families and communities loose faith in both policy and research Careers, jobs and status of adults Careers, jobs and status of adults Organizational goals and relative positioning Organizational goals and relative positioning Lurch management because of donor fashions Lurch management because of donor fashions

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

Roles and responsibilities of researchers and research bodies? Expand the discourse outside academic circles – and make it intelligible Expand the discourse outside academic circles – and make it intelligible Focus on normal as well as pathological aspects of childhood Focus on normal as well as pathological aspects of childhood Learn to use appropriate, rights-based methods 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 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 Build, maintain and reinforce capacity in both the Global North and South Address the mutual misunderstandings at the interface between policymakers and researchers Address the mutual misunderstandings at the interface between policymakers and researchers Disseminate publications and reports – including to children Disseminate publications and reports – including to children Be prepared to be whistleblowers – ‘Academic freedom’ Be prepared to be whistleblowers – ‘Academic freedom’ Ongoing monitoring of data quality and research ethics (with sanctions) Ongoing monitoring of data quality and research ethics (with sanctions)