Children's agency in reducing poverty and environmental risk : case study of Echo Youth Development

Abstract

South Africa ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and the Welfare of the Child (ARCWC) and is therefore bound through international treaties to protect and promote children’s rights, including the right to participation (Hall, Richter, Mokomane & Lake, 2018:48). Children’s right to protection does not deny their agency to make decisions on programmes and interventions affecting their current and future development (IICRD, 20075).

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 the case study of Echo Youth Development. This goal was obtained within a human rights-based approach as theoretical framework.

The researcher used a qualitative research approach, and the type of research was applied. The research design was an instrumental case study, and a purposive sampling method was used to sample five child participants and five key informants from Echo Youth Development. Data was collected through one-on-one semi-structured interviews and data was analysed according to themes. Findings indicate that children’s agency is recognised and respected in all the phases of the Echo youth programme. Although children have the right to freely participate, and know that their views will be heard and considered, recognising and respecting their agency in participation is balanced with what Echo Youth Development regards as in their best interest. Findings show that the Echo youth programme recognises children’s agency in mitigating poverty and environmental risks through participation.

The study concludes that children’s agency is more likely to be recognised and respected if participation includes empowerment; intentional discussions take place with children to allow their input; adults in the programme remain emotionally grounded during conflict situations; the house parent-child ratio is low; a neutral platform is created for agency and participation; and finally, applying the principle of community.

Recommendations on how children’s agency can be further recognised and respected in programmes planned and designed for them, include empowering them to participate, developing communication platforms, practicing mindfulness during conflict situations, and applying the principle of community.

KEY WORDS Child Child agency Poverty Environmental risks Participation Echo Youth Development