Child Research in Africa

Authors

Maylene Shung King
Rose September
Frederick Moses Okatcha
Carlos Cardoso

Keywords:

Child, Research, Caribbean, MENA, decision-makers

Synopsis

The concerns for African children should not be confined to the disadvantaged position of Africa, but rather extended to search into the virtues of their cultural
heritage, historical background and values of the African civilisation as the basis for reflecting on the rights and welfare of the child. In other words, the perspectives on the African child are shaped by a multiplicity of factors that include both the worldview of the researchers, donor priorities and pressures, as well as what will ‘sell’ better in peer review journals. This implies a real concern with what is going on in terms of research on child issues in Africa, in order to avoid generalisations and particularising the African children in ways that portray them in an unfavourable light.

Departing from this theoretical and philosophical background, scholars from 13 countries in Africa converged in Dakar to discuss issues related to child research in Africa. This monograph is about this extremely important exercise undertaken by Childwatch International and CODESRIA in collaboration with the Child and Youth Research and Training Programme at the University of the Western Cape, the Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town and Kenyatta University.

It comprises three papers that were presented at that occasion as well as the discussion that follows. Recognising the challenges that face researchers and their institutions, and the existing gap between policy makers and researchers, the monograph is an excellent evaluation of the child research potential in Africa. It examines the feasibility of the child research on the continent by exploring ways through which researchers and institutions across Africa can strengthen the quantity and the quality of child research in Africa. An assessment of the available research resources, in particular the technical skills of African researchers, and available financial resources is also part of the analyses.

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Author Biographies

Maylene Shung King

 Associate Professor, Health Policy and Systems Division, University of Cape Town.

 

 

Frederick Moses Okatcha

 is a big blow not only to the intellectual community in Kenya but professionals and Wanga community at large

 

 

 

 

Carlos Cardoso

 né à Beira en 1951 et mort à Maputo le 22 novembre 2000, est un journaliste mozambicain. Il a été assassiné à la suite de la publication d'un article d'investigation sur la corruption liée à la privatisation de la plus grande banque du Mozambique

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Published

November 26, 2009

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