Download PDF - Violence Against Children - East Asia and the ...

Cambodia: Children’s clubs, giving children a voice
in their own development
A Children’s Club
outdoor activity
Photo:
World Vision
Cambodia
“Children are the bamboo shoots who
replace the bamboo stalks.”
– traditional Khmer saying
“Young people’s involvement in teams,
groups, clubs, committees, NGOs,
Boards, unions and other types of
associations, both with and without
adults, can strengthen civil society in
the community.” 14
Background
Promoting a safer world for children is often
complex. Development agencies need to be
able to work in ways that not only address
issues placing children at risk but also account
for the methods used. How to promote
change without imposing change? How best
to sustain activities that reduce the risks
children face in the community? What
practices do not need extensive technical
knowledge or advanced English language skills
to learn and apply? What approaches can gain
support from children and community
members in ways that strengthen partnership
and ownership? Failure to address these
important questions limits the effectiveness of
interventions.
One practice that has emerged through this
study, which can go some way to providing
answers to these questions, is the inclusion of
planned avenues for child participation at
village level. This approach complements
broader development efforts aiming to
improve livelihoods. It also can be shown to
influence community attitudes so as to
decrease the risks children encounter.
Attitudes are linked to behaviour: as
community attitudes change, more options
become available, and actions will result that
can reduce incidence of abuse. 15
Practice that raises the profile and priority
of children’s issues is in keeping with central
observations of World Vision’s CAN study. 16
“A conceptual framework based on child and
youth participation” was a key
recommendation, because children were
shown to have potential and the desire to
contribute to programs addressing social
issues affecting them.
14 Hart, R, Children’s Participation: The theory and practice of involving young citizens in community development and environmental care, 1996
15 The Nexus of Vulnerability: Prevention of trafficking of women and children and HIV/AIDS in South Asia, UNDP, 1999
16 Dorning, K, Crying Out, World Vision International, 2002
33