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Children's Visions and Voices: Rights and Realities in South Africa

Country

South Africa

Region

Global, Africa

Programme Summary

This project presents photography by children in South Africa representing situations where their rights are threatened or violated. The Children’s Rights Centre’s documentary researcher Alex Fattal asked children to document their lives through photography, and used the pictures as the basis for oral histories. The material was synthesised in an exhibition titled "Children's Visions and Voices: Rights and Realities in South Africa" that has traveled throughout South Africa.

Communication Strategies

The project seeks to communicate the lived realities of a wide range of South African children by providing them the opportunity to document their daily lives.

The project has been carried out in close partnership with community organisations, which helped to supervise and support the children’s efforts. All participants and their caregivers consented to the activities involved in the project, and remain anonymous in the exhibition.

The organisers maintain that the "public eye" renders this project an advocacy campaign for children’s rights. The idea that children have identified violating circumstances, documented them, discussed them with their peers, and understand the dangers that they involve emphasises the usefulness of this communication strategy. Granting children the opportunity to participate in advocating for their rights empowers them to take part creatively in their own and their community’s development.

While the children were improving their social and artistic skills, the project co-ordinators were also interested in how effective the children’s photographs would be in communicating the significance of children’s rights. "The goal of this strategy is to provoke viewers to pay attention to situations that violate child rights." This communication strategy attempts to convey the children’s visions for an improved, child-friendly society that recognises their rights as children.

Development Issues

Children, Rights.

Key Points

The organisers aim to create awareness about child rights violations in South Africa by exhibiting the work of the participants, and allowing the intimate nature of the photographs to inspire activism, debate and a greater understanding of children’s rights.

Partners

Bernard van Leer Foundation, Ibis Foundation, Lewis Hine Documentary Fellowship.

Contact

Alex Fattal
Children's Rights Centre
480 Smith St.
1 st Floor
Durban
4001
South Africa
Tel: +27(0)31 307 6075/6
Fax : +27(0)31 307 6074
info@crc-sa.co.za
alex@ajaproject.org
Children's Rights Centre website

Bernard van Leer Foundation, Ibis Foundation, Lewis Hine Documentary Fellowship.

Placed on the Communication Initiative site November 25 2005
Last Updated November 25 2005

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