The partnerhip has evolved into a study group and was expanded to include the Childwatch Key Institutions the Caribbean Child Development Center in Jamaica, CEANIM in Chile, the Documentation Centre on Infancy and Childhood in Mexico and Paniamor in Costa Rica. It is currently the research basis of a Latin American regional network with several partners both outside and inside of the Childwatch International Research Network.
The group organized a session at the Childhoods 2005 conference. The session plan is available here>>
During the conference, the group and partners held a meeting planning future activities. A report in both English and Spanish is available on the web page of the regional network.
The Study Group organized the 2nd International Conference on Children and Adolescents Growing up in Contexts of Poverty, Marginalization and Violence in Latin America: Sharpening Analysis of the Probelms and Shaping Responses in Rio de Janeiro, 26 - 29 September 2004.
A pdf version of the conference report can be downloaded here>>
The introduction can be read below:
The forces that marginalize children outside mainstream society and the mainstream economy can be conceptualized singly and as interacting influences. They are present in many Latin American countries though different degrees. But the commonalty of problems in the region and the exciting prospect of sharing strategies to combat the problems have not resulted in many collaborations among researchers and practitioners in the region. The comparatively recent emergence of several countries from military dictatorships and a general shortage of resources are key reasons for this paucity of partnerships. This regional conference was a step toward strengthening existing partnerships and building new connections. The objectives of the conference included: • Strengthen collaborations among children’s researchers in Latin America and the Caribbean; • Identify common problems that affect children and youth in the region; • Establish local, national and regional policy and practice priorities; • Exchange information, experience and methodologies among the participating professionals and organizations; • Disseminate the results of this network’s work nationally and internationally. 8
The following issues were identified in the First Latin American Children’s Research Conference held in Rio de Janeiro in December, 2003.1 • Description of the key indicators of the condition of children and the problems that affect them; • Identification of strategies to confront these problems and improve children’s life chances; • Description of the distance between the legislated rights of children and the implementation of the laws and children’s experience of the reality of those rights; • Focus on the dual goals of ensuring rights and encouraging the exercise of responsibilities; • Usage of research as an instrument of change; • Specification of the types of studies and methods including the participation of children and families.
Latin American regional meeting "Infancies, Dislocations and Changes"
and 3rd Childwatch International Latin American Network Conference
Read the Executive report in English here>>
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana
Mexico City,
17 - 19 July 2006
The study is coordinated by:
Norma Alicia del Río Lugo
at the Centro de Documentación sobre Infancia at the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana in Mexico City, Mexico.
e-mail: infancia [at] correo.uam.mx