How the Rights-Based Approach to Development Contributes to Building Citizenship in Childhood and Adolescence

Summary: This presentation by Ruth Steele of Everychild looks at the contribution of the rights-based approach to development in building citizenship in childhood and adolescence – and why it is so important right now – in terms of the right of a child to participate in society. 
How the Rights-based Approach to development contributes to building citizenship in  childhood and adolescence – and why it is so important right now – in terms of the right of a child to participate in society.

1. Introduction – the relevance of rights
In England people are looking at the failures of society to participate with some young people. In England, (where the terrible bombings took place in July in the underground and the bus) and in France where racial riots were still taking place when I left for Lima - people are looking at the failures of European society to assimilate or integrate these mostly Muslim and African, vulnerable and excluded young people into the general society.

We have living in our countries, communities of children and young people who feel alienated, and look for self-respect elsewhere, as they do not feel they belong in the societies where they are living and have no part to play. Their parents and families seem not to be able to offer them anything either. Of course the terrible conflict in Iraq has much to answer for, and the French and British situations are very different; but these groups are not culturally integrated, neither are they economically part of our societies. 

We need to pay attention to these problems and building citizenship in childhood and adolescence on the basis of rights will strengthen social cohesion and enable these young people to feel they have a stake in societies where they live .

In my talk I want to explain why and how the rights-based approach provides us with a way of ensuring that groups of the most vulnerable and excluded young  people can be invited to join others in their societies. They will be listened to as equals, and voice their opinions - and in this way genuinely have the possibility of taking part in society and in the issues that directly affect them.  

2. Attitudes to childhood and adulthood – brief situation in England  
Ideas on childhood change over time and are different in different contexts and cultures.

My childhood was different from my children’s childhood, a Peruvian childhood is different from a British childhood, and a Peruvian childhood in Lima or  Arequipa, is different from childhood in Huancavelica, Puno, or Madre de Dios.   
In many societies today adulthood is assumed to mean being strong and informed, reliable and wise, and childhood means being vulnerable and ignorant, unreliable and foolish[1]. Are these true? No - I would suggest it’s a question of experience and of what we call competencies. There are plenty of vulnerable and ignorant adults – who may have missed out on educational opportunities or do not have the capacity to understand their own experiences – while for example, sick children are often well-informed, responsible and wise about their health. They have these competencies.  

I saw pictures on the TV the other day of children in earthquake areas in Pakistan who are supporting adults and communities in the ruins of their homes, and they – the children -  are the ones who are emotionally and physically strong. On Saturday, I also met young children in the marginal urban communities of Lima, who understand and can explain how adult violence leads to different responses from family-members, in a very adult way.     
In Britain[2] we have a long way to go in updating our ideas about children, although there have been some movements towards change.

-We have no written constitution or Bill of Rights.
- There is no tradition in the UK of the state defining its obligations towards its citizens, and this applies to adults and children both.
- We now have a Minister for Children – I understand that here the office dealing with children and adolescents is inside the Family Division, and the Family Division is situated in the Ministry for Women and Social Development.
- at last we have an English Commissioner (ombudsman) for Children.
- We also have the 1989 Children Act that relates specifically to the protection of children.
- We have had Family Allowances since 1945[3].  But the extent of child poverty[4] compared with other European countries, is still a major disgrace.

3. The invisible child    
The family has featured as an important institution in England, but the problem is that children have remained almost invisible within the family.

This brings serious problems. For example, when I worked as a psychiatric social worker back in the 60’s AND 70’s, we concentrated on family problems and assessing families. It is sometimes difficult to safeguard children from protection if you are supporting families. (There was a recent case of Victoria Climbie, an African child sent by her parents to come to live with her aunt in London where they hoped she would have a better life. The child died after being violently abused, left to sit in cold water and not being fed. The family was visited, but the child was not seen).

In Britain the family has been the dominant theme in UK social policy and in a way that distracts from children being seen as individuals in their own right. The family and the state are seen as being distinct and separate. The family is seen as a private institution – and I understand this is the case here too -  that should not be interfered with. There is political thinking (more on the political right,) that families should be allowed to sort out their own ‘problems’ – and this includes children. The stress is on family responsibility rather than on social responsibility for children. This probably explains why it is possible to hit children in England and why hitting is not illegal unless it is serious enough to leave a mark.  This is different from the situation in many European countries and in Scandinavia.  So children are not yet the primary focus of policy.    

4. The importance of child and of family
The UNCRC places the child in the centre of the picture - a rights holder in his/her own right. This child, who is the holder of rights demands a huge change in attitude, which is taking time.

- Children are people with inalienable rights
 And rights (as opposed to needs), always include responsibilities.
- Children have an inherent value as individuals in their own right and not merely as future adults.

There is an argument used about children, that they are in a state of ‘not yet being’ and that theories of child development may partly be responsible for this. In the language of the sociology of childhood, the construction of the child means that children are valued as "becomings" rather than "beings". But children are the present as well as the future.

But I absolutely want to be clear that  - at the same time as the child is the holder of rights and is the primary focus – the family also continues to play a very important part and here the state is vital in providing protection, assistance and support for the family. Many states are teaching parents, and providing them with information, about parenting and bringing up their children. The state and the family are duty bearers – both have obligations to the child.
The family as the fundamental group of society and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members and particularly children, should be afforded the necessary protection and assistance so that it can fully assume its responsibilities within the community (UNCRC)
And - The child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding (UNCRC).

5. Determining best interests
So although the family is important, we are determining what the Convention calls ‘the best interests of the child’ – one of the principles of the Convention -  not the best interests of the family or the community , but the child. The question is how can best interests be determined?

1.The best interest of the child is: the sum total of the norms in the convention. Therefore it is in the best interests of the child to have all his/her rights, – to receive education, have family relations, know and be cared for by his or her parents, be heard in matters concerning him or her  and to be respected and seen as an individual person.

2.Also we know that it is not in the best interests of the child to be exposed to any form of violence, to be wrongly separated from his or her parents, to be subjected to any traditional practices prejudicial to the child’s health, to perform any work that is hazardous or harmful, or to be exploited or abused etc.
But to understand the best interests of the child, this approach is inadequate and will not give us the real picture.

3. We must also ask the child – to find out what his/her best interests are -  as a child’s own views should be given due weight. I will return to this later.

6. EveryChild
At EveryChild we follow a rights –based approach to development. We focus on the right of any child to grow up in a safe and secure family, free from poverty and exploitation.

We work worldwide to give vulnerable children who are, or risk being, separated from their family or community a safe and secure future. 

7. EveryChild work that illustrates this
EveryChild works with partners in the Former Soviet Union
We also work in developing countries, in regions in Africa, SE Asia, Guyana, and here in the Latin American region - in Peru, Brazil and Guyana.

We use different approaches to working with vulnerable and excluded children.
In the FSU we work with state social services to prevent family breakdown and stop children being separated and sent to institutions or children’s residential homes. Where children have already been institutionalised we work to reunite families, and where this is not possible we provide models of alternative care, so that children can grow up in a family environment.          

In developing countries, including Peru, we do preventive work with communities where children are at risk of being separated as a result of poverty and abuse. We try to provide them with safe and secure family/extended family or community care. This also applies to children who have been orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS and are growing up without parental care in child-headed households – mostly in Africa).

I want to take a practical approach -  To illustrate a rights- based approach, I am going to describe EveryChild Peru’s programme. They are our branch office in Peru
1. In Peru EveryChild works with vulnerable and excluded children and their families and communities on the ground, to protect children from physical violence and abuse. EveryChild Peru works in the marginal urban San Juan de Miraflores district. We also work in the rural communities of Huancayo and Andahuaylas.  

- EveryChild Peru promotes work with communal Defensorias/defence committees in Lima, Andahuaylas and Huancayo. They are supporting the government programme and National Plan.  They train staff – system operators, teachers, volunteer communal defensors, children and parents. They promote the implementation of child protection policies. The communal Defensorias are staffed by community volunteers who monitor cases of abuse and provide support and advice to children and parents and refer those they cannot deal with to the correct authorities – the police and courts. EveryChild is working to change attitudes towards children – that they are not objects but rights holders and human beings. And that when a child is abused, his/her best interests must be taken into consideration.   

2.This Friday I attended a meeting where the Minister of Women and Social Development (MINDES), Anna Maria Romero, announced, the official recognition of the network of Defensorias de nino i adolescentes. This is a large network of more than 1,600 Defensorias around the country.  EveryChild is committed to supporting this large network in order to change practices and structures for children.

3.EveryChild Peru together with others, has advocacy strategies supporting change to improve the lives of ALL children.
- Campaigning for child participation in policy development in a way that makes it possible to implement the changes.
- Calling for the abolition of corporal punishment and says ‘If you love me don’t hit me’

4.EveryChild Peru works with volunteers, teachers, children and parents as well as civil society (Unicef, Action Por Los Nino, Plan International, WorldVision and Adra) in these two areas:

- protecting children on the ground in communities
- supporting changes in policies and practices that affect children
EveryChild works closely with civil society, with other NGOs and with government ministries – Women’s Ministry, Ministries of Health and Education; and provincial, regional and national authorities.

5.How is EveryChild accountable? – (1) They do not promise anything they cannot achieve, (2) They are open to sharing resources and experiences in order to achieve their goals (to make changes in children’s lives), (3) are keen to learn from others (4) promote representatives who are truly elected by their group (5) and are part of the situation  and know the problems intimately. EveryChild’s work with children is ongoing and regular, and in this way they earn the trust of the community.

6.How does EveryChild listen to children? (1) Children are invited to the municipalities to take part. (2) There have been good achievements in the Commissions works with children. (3)  children have participated in discussions on children’s public budgets. The participation was so successful that following the discussions, some projects have already been approved. (4) and perhaps most importantly children take part  from the very beginning of the project cycle – in design, in the process and the evaluation.

Let us look at the rights- based approach to development
I have explained that EveryChild follows the UNCRC and the rights-based approach to development. So what is the rights-based approach? – and what does it consist of?

1.      Rights violations and not charity - We have turned our attention to rights violations and a RBA because we believe the impact it delivers is more sustainable and can deliver real change for beneficiaries – the children. Therefore we no longer look to meeting welfare needs of children in a charitable way – but look to the UNCRC, i.e. internationally agreed standards for children, that the governments of the countries where we work have signed up to.
2.      Empowering others to take action. EveryChild is no longer itself aiming to take action on behalf of others, but, is working with and supporting groups of children and their families and communities to take action. We encourage children and their families and communities to advocate for the necessary changes.
3.      EveryChild also works with duty bearers – whether the state, teachers, parents and other adults in the communities, and encourages the state to honour its obligations.
4.      Practical action on the ground. Our practical actions with children in communities will demonstrate how changes can be implemented. Even if this is only on a small scale, the model can be replicated country-wide.
5.      EveryChild works to support changes in policies, legislation and structures that will mean real change for children
6.      Working with others. We are working with different groups and networks, including government departments. We know if there are many voices calling for change those in authority will pay more attention.
7.      ALL children are entitled, (boys and girls, children from different indigenous communities, minority groups etc.) in Peru the indigenous groups are Quechua-speaking people and communities in the jungles - populations that receive no services. 
8.      Child participation. This is sustainable real child participation and not just tokenism when children are manipulated into looking decorative, but no one takes them seriously. We want to hear and take into account – and if appropriate, support action on - what children say about matters that affect them. In our terms participation means that the child is listened to, together with others.  

8. Participation - why listen to children?[5]
1) We have already discussed the importance of understanding the child’s views, when it comes to deciding what is in their best interests.
2) Because it leads to better decisions
There is evidence that allowing children to influence decisions improves the quality of the decisions
 3) Because it is good for them.
A sense of control over your life is associated with a sense of well being and feeling confident. Moreover if vulnerable and excluded children are invited to take part and feel they are being listened to – this mean the difference between feeling alienated from society and feeling you have a stake (see the examples of alienation of Muslim and African youths in Europe).
4) It develops their sense of responsibility and obligation to society.
5) Because they have a right to be heard.
Article 12: States parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.   
This kind of participation does not take away from adult responsibilities  - it places new responsibilities on adults to guide children’s behaviour.  

9. Citizenship  What is citizenship?
(i) Citizenship is membership of a society . Often we view citizenship as a legal concept – I am a recognized British citizen. I have certain rights and responsibilities. I can vote and I can carry a British passport. 
(ii) But I am also a member of a political community, and as a citizen I am a member with rights to political participation. In this way I am encouraged to become involved in public decision-making, especially when I have a direct interest in the result.
As an adult, citizenship implies working towards improving the community I live in through participation, volunteer work and efforts to improve life for all fellow citizens.
(iii) Do children and adolescents really count as citizens – not in the legal sense of having a status with a passport but as individuals who take part and are listened to? Can babies participate? A mother communicates with her child and allows the child to participate – and the child’s mind is formed in the context of this close relationship or attachment. This emotional interaction between a child and his/her carer is vital – the mother/father/grandparent – feeds back to the child information about his/her emotional state and helps the child makes sense of her/himself and the social world. The child’s brain in fact becomes richer and denser[6].     
(iv) Educationalists[7] have stated that the only way that children can familiarize themselves with culture is by active participation in social life. There have been calls for schools that are working social communities, where experiments could be tried. A democratic, fast-changing society can function only when its members have learned to take initiatives (In Peru – as in many countires- children who have never been allowed to speak up officially become citizens – and have to take decisions about their lives with little preparation) . The essence of education is to acquire the capability to freely, fully and creatively participate in the democratic, developing community.

Participatory pedagogy - Our societies have a fundamental obligation to teach these skills to children and young people. This is to unpack and interpret the social dilemmas of everyday life, to help children acquire the necessary communicative skills , and to structure a process of interaction and problem-solving.   

The case for involving children and adolescents I want to argue that there are benefits if children and adolescents participate. These are:
- Empowerment – involving those particularly those who do not have the opportunity to have a say  (e.g. the socially excluded) can lead to a self-belief in their ability to create change and have a greater  control over their own lives
- Responsibility – participation is said to add to an increase in a sense of responsibility for actions.
- Benefits for citizenship and political education – this provides opportunities for social and political education and can be incorporated into the school citizenship agenda. This includes increasing awareness of children’s rights, political structures, and existing service. This leads to young people wanting to take part in different forms of politics. This benefits all children but especially those disadvantaged groups that are considered to be ‘at risk’.
- Relationships – The development of positive relationships between young people and professionals, parents and peers. There are improved relationships within the community.

10 Conclusion
 If we are thinking about the complexities of childhood and letting go the idea of children being always dependent, needy and incompetent – but seeing them as rights holders who participate - then we also have to rethink the adult. Adulthood is not the perfect endpoint after childhood. Instead we all go on changing and learning and making mistakes throughout our lives and therefore childhood and adulthood are in many ways similar and equally important  parts of our lives.

Implementing the Convention alters the status of children and of adults. ‘Listening to children can and should change the way we think about ourselves’.