In January, Promundo began the process of selecting professionals and community coordination to carry out qualitative research that is part of the project “Engaging parents to reduce violence against children and promote a sense of safety for children in low-income communities” , which will take place throughout 2013.
The research will be carried out with children between 4 and 6 years old from four communities in Rio de Janeiro: Cidade de Deus, Vidigal, Morro dos Prazeres and Vila Joaniza. The first three communities have already implemented or are in the process of implementing Pacification Police Units (UPP). In addition to children, adults – fathers, mothers, residents and police – from the communities will also be heard about their perception of the safety/insecurity of children in these spaces.
A methodology will be developed that uses playful activities to observe and listen to children's different ways of expressing their feelings of security. The messages collected during the activities will also be used in materials for community campaigns on fatherhood and care, which will be developed later.
The research is one of the dimensions of a broader project, funded by the Bernard van Leer Foundation, which aims to engage parents in reducing violence against children and contribute to the design of policies in the area of public security that include the perspectives and demands of early childhood. Among the actions foreseen in the project are campaigns to encourage fatherhood and care, such as the “You are my father!” campaign, raising awareness among police officers about professional procedures that take into account the needs of children and advocacy actions to influence public policies on the theme, including the expansion of paternity leave.
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