Children’s Views on Poverty and Environmental Risks: Lessons for Ecological Social Work and Ecological Citizenship
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2708-9355/18227Keywords:
child participation, ecological citizenship, ecological social work, environmental risks, poverty, qualitative researchAbstract
Climate change has a disproportionate effect on people who are socially and economically excluded and live in degraded environments. Children’s current and future well-being are the hardest hit. However, children need not necessarily be passive victims: They have agency to engage meaningfully and contribute sustainable solutions. This research draws on a qualitative study with five children who were purposefully selected to share their views on poverty and environmental risks through photo-voicing and one-on-one interviews. The aim was to draw lessons from children’s experiences of poverty and environmental risks to inform ecological social work and citizenship. The data were analysed according to themes. The findings indicate that children understand the multidimensional nature of poverty and its interrelatedness with environmental risks. Furthermore, they have an environmentally oriented attitude towards being responsible citizens for themselves and the community. They proposed strategies to engage in action that can contribute to sustainable development. The study concludes that children’s participation can and should play a significant role in informing ecological social work. Furthermore, developing ecological citizenship is fundamental for social work to contribute to a new eco-social world with a sustainable approach to the environment and justice for all.
References
Arts, K. 2017. “Inclusive Sustainable Development: A Human Rights Perspective.” Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 24: 58–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2017.02.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2017.02.001
Besthorn, F. H. 2012. “Deep Ecology’s Contribution to Social Work: A Ten-year Retrospective.” International Journal of Social Welfare 21 (3): 248–259. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2011.00850.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2011.00850.x
Bullard, R. 2019. “Addressing Environmental Racism.” Journal of International Affairs 73 (1): 237–242. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26872794?seq=1.
Butcher, J., F. Seballos, and C. Whitehead. 2010. Towards “Climate Smart”: Children and Youth Organisations. National Children’s Bureau (NCB): UK.
Clarke, V., V. Braun, and N. Hayfield. 2015. “Thematic Analysis.” In Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Research Methods, 3rd ed., edited by J. A. Smith, 222–248. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Dobson, A. 2007. “Ecological Citizenship: Towards Sustainable Development.” Sustainable Development 15: 276–285. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.344 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.344
Dobson, A., L. Semal, M. Szuba, and O. Petit. 2014. “Andrew Dobson: Trajectories of Green Political Theory. Interview by Luc Semal, Mathilde Szuba and Olivier Petit.” NSS-Dialogues, EDP Sciences. Natures Sciences Sociétés 22: 132–141. https://doi.org/10.1051/nss/2014021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/nss/2014021
Dzvimbo, M. A., M. Monga, and T. M. Mashiza. 2017. “Perpetual ‘Outcasts’: The Impact of Climate Change on Rural Children in Zimbabwe.” Journal of Public Administration and Development Alternatives 2 (2): 60–69.
Fournier, B., A. Bridge, A. P. Kennedy, A. Alibhai, and J. Konde-Lule. 2014. “Hear Our Voices: A Photovoice Project with Children Who Are Orphaned and Living with HIV in a Ugandan Group Home.” Children and Youth Services Review 45: 55–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.03.038 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.03.038
Hawkins, C. A. 2010. “Sustainability, Human Rights, and Environmental Justice: Critical Connections for Contemporary Social Work.” Critical Social Work 11 (3): 68–81. https://doi.org/10.22329/csw.v11i3.5833 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22329/csw.v11i3.5833
Humphreys, D. 2009. “Environmental and Ecological Citizenship in Civil Society.” The International Spectator 44 (1): 171–183. https://doi.org/10.1080/03932720802693101 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03932720802693101
Iliopoulou, I. 2018. “Children’s Thinking about Environmental Issues.” Educational Research 60 (2): 241–254. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2018.1453753 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2018.1453753
International Labour Office. 2021. World Social Protection Report 2020–22: Social Protection at the Crossroads - In Pursuit of a Better Future. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.ilo.org/publications/flagship-reports/world-social-protection-report-2020-22-social-protection-crossroads-pursuit.
Jørgensen, F. A., and D. Jørgensen. 2021. “Citizen Science for Environmental Citizenship.” Conservation Biology Diversity 35 (4): 1344–1347. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13649 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13649
Kim, K., E. Kabir, and S. Kabir. 2015. “A Review on the Human Health Impact of Airborne Particulate Matter.” Environment International 74: 136–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.10.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.10.005
Lombard, A. 2022. “The Human-Nature Nexus: A Sustainability Framework for Social Work?” In Environment, Climate, and Social Justice. Perspectives and Practices from the Global South, edited by D. Madhanagopal, C. T. Beer, B. R. Nikku, and A. J. Pelser, 45–60. Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1987-9_3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1987-9_3
Lombard, A., and A. Viviers. 2014. “Inclusion of Children as Stakeholders in Social, Economic and Environmental Development.” In Environmental Change and Sustainable Social Development. Social Work – Social Development. Vol 2, edited by S. Hessle, 80–85. Farnham: Ashgate.
Miller, S. E., R. A. Hayward, and T. V. Shaw. 2012. “Environmental Shifts for Social Work: A Principles Approach.” International Journal of Social Welfare 21 (3): 270–277. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2011.00848.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2011.00848.x
Närhi, K., and A. Matthies. 2018. “The Ecosocial Approach in Social Work as a Framework for Structural Social Work.” International Social Work 61 (4): 490–502. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872816644663 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872816644663
National Planning Commission (NPC). 2023. A Review of the National Development Plan 2030. Advancing Implementation Towards a More Capable Nation. Pretoria: The Presidency.
Ndofirepi, A., and M. Cross. 2015. “Child’s Voice, Child’s Right: Is Philosophy for Children in Africa the Answer?” Interchange: Quarterly Review of Education 46 (3): 225–238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-015-9250-x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-015-9250-x
Nieuwenhuis, J. 2016. “Qualitative Research Design and Data-gathering Techniques.” In First Steps in Research, 2nd ed., edited by K. Maree, 72-103. Pretoria: Van Schaik.
Norton, C. L. 2012. “Social Work and the Environment: An Ecosocial Approach.” International Journal of Social Welfare 21 (3): 299–308. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2011.00853.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2011.00853.x
O’Kane, C. 2013. Children’s Participation in the Analysis, Planning and Design of Programmes: A Guide for Save the Children Staff. London: Save the Children.
RSA [Republic of South Africa]. 1996. Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996. Pretoria: Government Printers.
RSA [Republic of South Africa]. 2020. “Towards a 25 Year Review 1994–2019. 25” Accessed September 29, 2024. https://www.dpme.gov.za/news/SiteAssets/Pages/25-Year-Review-launch/Towards%20A%2025%20Year%20Review.pdf.
Rudra, S. A., E. Solrun, C. Leiva, J. Antonio, N. D. Locke, and S. David. 2020. “Global Estimate of Children in Monetary Poverty: An Update. Poverty and Equity.” Discussion paper. Washington: World Bank Group.
Save the Children. 2015. “Reducing Risks, Enhancing Resilience: Save the Children and Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.” Accessed August 1, 2023. https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/reducing_risks_enhancing_resilience_2015_low.pdf/.
Save the Children. 2021. “Children at the Centre: Their Views of Our Response to Hunger and Climate Change in Somalia.” London: Save the Children. Accessed September 18, 2023. https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/Children-at-the-Centre-Somalia-Childrens-Consultation-FINAL-compressed.pdf/.
Statista. 2022. “Production-Based Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions in Africa in 2021, by Country.” Accessed September 30, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1268395/production-based-co2-emissions-in-africa-by-country/.
Statistics South Africa [StatsSA]. 2020. Child Poverty in South Africa: A Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis. Report No. 03-10-22. Pretoria: Statistics South Africa.
UNEP [United Nations Environmental Program]. 2020. “Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework (ESSF).” Accessed September 9, 2023. https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/32022.
UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund]. 2009. The State of the World’s Children. Special Edition. Celebrating 20 Years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York: UNICEF.
UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund]. 2014. Human Development Report. Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience. New York: UNICEF. Accessed September 18, 2024. https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2014.
UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund]. 2015. Children and the Changing Climate: Taking Action to Save Lives. New York: UNICEF. Accessed September 10, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/vietnam/media/1341/file/Children%20and%20the%20changing%20climate%20-%20Taking%20action%20to%20save%20life.pdf.
UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund]. 2016. Clear the Air for Children. Accessed September 25, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/UNICEF_Clear_the_Air_for_Children_30_Oct_2016.pdf.
UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund]. 2020. Child poverty in South Africa. A Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis. UNICEF South Africa. Accessed September 18, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/esa/media/6551/file/UNICEF-South-Africa-Multidimensional-Child-Poverty-Analysis-2020.pdf.
UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund]. 2021a. Healthy Environments for Healthy Children. Global Programme Framework. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund. Accessed September 16, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/media/91216/file/Healthy-Environments-for-Healthy-Children-Global-Programme-Framework-2021.pdf.
UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund]. 2021b. The Climate Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index. New York. Accessed September 16, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/media/105376/file/UNICEF-climate-crisis-child-rights-crisis.pdf.
UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund]. 2023. “Children in 98 Per Cent of African Countries at High or Extremely High Risk of the Impacts of Climate Change.” UNICEF Press Release, September. Accessed September 13, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/children-98-cent-african-countries-high-or-extremely-high-risk-impacts-climate.
UNRISD [United Nations Research Institute for Social Development]. 2021. A New Eco-Social Contract. Vital to deliver the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Issue Brief 11, March 2021.
United Nations. 1989. Convention on the Rights of the Child. Adopted by the General Assembly on 20 November. Treaty Series 1577. Accessed September 20, 2023. https://www.ohchr.org/documents/professionalinterest/crc.pdf.
United Nations. 2015. Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Adopted at the Third UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan. March 18, 2015.
Vaghri, Z. 2018. “Climate Change, an Unwelcome Legacy: The Need to Support Children’s Rights to Participate in Global Conversations.” Children, Youth and Environments 28 (1): 104–114. https://doi.org/10.1353/cye.2018.0025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/cye.2018.0025
Vambe, J. T. 2018. “Impact of Youth Participation on Attainment of Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria.” Journal of Progressive Research in Social Sciences 8 (2): 649–661.
Van Niekerk, I. M. 2014. “Waste Management Behaviour: A Case Study of School Children in Mpumalanga, South Africa.” PhD thesis, North-West University. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/12081.
Van Vuuren, L., ed. 2014. “South Africa’s 20-Year Journey in Water and Sanitation Research. Strides Have Been Made in South Africa.” In Achieving the Vision of a Better Life for All. Water Research Commission. RSA.
WHO [World Health Organization]. 2016. “Air Pollution Levels Rising in Many of the World’s Poorest Cities.” Accessed September 4, 2023. https://www.who.int/news/item/12-05-2016-air-pollution-levels-rising-in-many-of-the-world-s-poorest-cities.
WHO [World Health Organization]. 2020. “Children’s Environmental Risks.” Accessed March 16, 2023. https://www.who.int/ceh/risks/en/.
WHO [World Health Organization]. 2022. “Health and Environmental Scorecard: South Africa.” Accessed September 13, 2023. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/environmental-health/environmental-health-zaf-2022.pdf?sfvrsn=8d1bf285_4&download=true.
World Bank and United Nations Children’s Fund [WEF]. 2022. “Global Trends in Child Monetary Poverty According to International Poverty Lines.” Policy Research Working Paper. Accessed September 11, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/documents/child-poverty-trends.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
