RATIONALE:
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) puts a strong emphasis on child protection, with a commitment to end violence against children by 2030. To achieve all the SDGs by 2030, children must be put at the centre of the development agenda. As a country where over 59% of the population are children (under 18 years of age), child protection is now at the centre of the development agenda for Malawi. The Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II (2011-2016), which is the medium-term national development strategy, include child development and protection as a major theme for promoting social development. With over 85% of the population relying on subsistence farming for their livelihoods, the success of child protection interventions depends on how strongly integrated they are in agricultural development initiatives.
Child protection in an agro-based society consists of reducing risks to children’s wellbeing, making children’s rights to protection a reality, restoring hope and a dignified life where abuse and violence have occurred and creating an enabling environment that supports children’s positive development within the confines of the agricultural sector.
KEY RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
Our research is focusing on addressing the following key questions:
- What are the various forms of violence against children, who are the perpetrators, which groups of children are often victims?
- What are the driving factors, barriers and determinants (social norms, behaviours) for each form of violence against children in Malawi, and the southern African region?
- What are the mitigation and prevention strategies for each form of violence against children?
- What are the short-term and long-term welfare effects of violence on children?
- Are the policy makers and key stakeholders doing enough to protect children from various forms of violence?
- How can we successfully prevent violence against children in agro-based societies where children are often involved in smallholder agriculture?
RESEARCH GROUP MEMBERS:
- Tawonga Phiri (Chair)
- Donald Makoka
- Stephen Kumwenda
- Faith Chimtedza
- Lucy Makoka.
