PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988-2001 14 Participatory interactions with children in Nepal

Document begins: PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988­2001 14 Participatory interactions with children in Nepal Pashupati Sapkota and Junita Sharma Introduction the freedom to express views, imagination, and interpretation of the surrounding world on their ActionAid-Nepal considers children to be some own terms. Moreover, the adult-child power imbalance was relatively reduced by giving full of the most important beneficiaries of control to the child; this in turn enhanced their development programmes. Until recently the confidence. emphasis has been on education and health programmes. Now importance is given to the approach used to provide these services. After explaining the topic, "Best things about school" for school-going children and "What I This approach lays the stress on our own do at home away from school" for school drop- outs the children started to draw attitude towards children. In order to promote enthusiastically. Some needed guidance, while their participation in development the essential others were quite happy to copy from their requirement is to understand their lives, their roles and responsibilities, their dreams and neighbours. aspirations. This means that we have to learn to listen to them and respect them. We have to There was not much difference in the artistic look at them as ...