Marginalized Children as Social Actors for Social Justice in South Asia
Author(s)
O’Kane, Claire
Abstract
This contribution highlights the role that marginalized girls and boys are themselves playing in varied contexts in South Asia to challenge inequalities and discrimination to ensure that the rights of all children are realized. Notions of rights are inextricably linked to the concept of social justice, which is concerned with equality, needs, and entitlements. While highlighting the role of children and young people as social actors and active citizens, this paper also explores broader contextual and discourse issues concerning social work practice, social justice, and child rights in South Asia. Case examples and ethnographic material from South Asia are shared. Furthermore, the changing nature and roles of social workers and development workers when enabling children’s own protagonism are reflected upon, and lessons drawn for social and community work practice and policy development in different parts of the world.
