An assessment of child participation in the family in South Africa

This publication (65 pages) intends to explore child participation, specifically in the family setting in South Africa and compare levels of participation in different cultural and religious contexts. It shares details on the methodology and findings from a systematic, informative assessment of children’s participation in the family. Save the Children Sweden commissioned an assessment in order to explore the wide range of cultural and religious practices that may impact on levels of participation in families in South Africa, to identify factors that hinder or enhance children’s participation. Possible links between the level of child participation in the family and the disciplinary practices used in the home were also explored during the assessment which was undertaken by the Community Agency for Social Enquiry (C A S E). The assessment includes a literature review, a site based survey in 6 geographic sites (involving 1200 interviews with children of different age groups and adults) and focus groups with children and adults in 2 out of the 6 geographic sites. Key findings from the literature review are shared in this report and include: reflection on children’s constitutional rights in South Africa, as well as consequences of State signatories to the UNCRC and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; lessons learnt from similar research on children’s participation in families in the South and Central Asia region; and research into corporal punishment in South Africa.