[COLLOQUIUM] Through the eyes of young children: Perspectives on the experiences of a fragile context

The UP Department of Geography invites everyone to a colloquium:

Through the eyes of young children: 
Perspectives on the experiences of a fragile context

by Nanditha Hettitantri  

The Institute of Early Childhood

Macquarie University, Australia

5 Dercember 2014, Friday

6pm

PH 206, Palma Hall, UP Diliman 

Despite the expanding body of research on the implications for children who are experiencing disrupted environments, few studies incorporated young children’s experiences and perspectives in fragile post conflict contexts. This gap in the literature constrains the efficacy of policy and resource allocation aimed at enhancing life experiences for young children, specifically when establishing child friendly and peaceful environments in such contexts. Taking a rebuilding resettled village in post armed conflict Sri Lanka as a case study (4 years after the end of the armed conflict), a research was undertaken to address this gap. Through a socio-ecological analysis of young children’s own accounts of their day today experiences in a post conflict resettled village, this study explored what young children’s lived experiences and perspectives in relation to their post conflict rebuilding setting. The presentation will focus on the key findings of the study; the young children’s perspectives of their lived experiences of connectedness to their socio-ecology, protection of rights and opportunities for development and thrive for full potential. Further, the methodological and ethical considerations of researching with young children in fragile contexts will be discussed.

Nanditha Hettitantri is a Global Leader and a member of the International Advisory Group for the World Forum Foundation for Early Care and Education. She has been the National Secretary for Early Childhood Care and Development Network in Sri Lanka. She has worked as a lecturer/resource person in early childhood, child protection and disaster management, a consultant for SAARC Disaster Management Centre, ARNEC and the Children in Adversity Research Group at the Columbia University, a country programme Director for International NGOs and a Head of Social Research Unit. Nanditha is currently reading for her PhD at the Macquarie University Australia. Her research interests are young children in fragile contexts, children's rights and disaster management.