Children's agency in reducing poverty and environmental risk : Case Study of SOS Children's Village, Lusaka

Abstract

The Zambia Statistical Agency (ZSA) estimates the current population of Zambia to be at 17,885,422 (Zambia Statistics Agency, 2020). More than 50 percent (53.4 %) of Zambian population are children under 18 years (UNICEF, 2020). From the statistics, it can be deduced that Zambia has a huge dependency problem and many children have to struggle with access to basic needs such as food, shelter and education. Children have the right to participate in decisions that affect their lives and must be included in decision-making processes on poverty reduction and environmental risks (Katunga & Lombard, 2016:200;201). The goal of the study was to explore and describe how children’s agency is recognised and respected in programmes/interventions aimed at reducing poverty and environmental risk in SOS Children’s Village, Lusaka. The Human Rights-Based Approach was the theoretical framework for the study. The researcher employed a qualitative research approach and the study was both explorative and descriptive in nature. The research design was an instrumental case study and the sample of ten participants was purposively selected from SOS Children’s Village Lusaka. The participants included five children whom were in the alternative care programme and five key informants of whom three (3) were social workers and two (2) child development specialists. Data was collected by means of semi-structured one-on-one interviews and data was analysed through themes. Findings indicated that SOS Children’s Village, Lusaka provides in all the basic needs of the children and protects them from poverty and environmental risks at the institution. Furthermore, adult’s concept of the child influences how they allow child participation. Most key informants viewed a child to be in need of guidance and protection whilst a few viewed a child as having the ability to participate while being protected. Children’s participation is mostly restricted to their housing environments while their participation in programme matters is more passive as their views are hardly asked or considered. The study concluded that children do not participate directly in the conceptualisation, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmes/interventions. Thus, their agency to a large extent is not respected in participation. The study recommends that role players involved in the SOS Children’s Village, Lusaka can promote children’s agency and engage them in all the phases of the programme by developing their agency, upholding their human rights and engaging the larger community.

Key words: SOS Children’s Village; child participation; child agency; poverty; environmental risks