From Rhetoric to Practice

Bridging the Gap between What We Believe and What We Do

Abstract

*Focus on Africa | Research Articles

This paper discusses the practical reasons for the disjuncture between the rhetoric and the practice of promoting children’s participation, including participation being a means to an end versus an end itself, and an absence of meaningful dialogue to help adults who are struggling with the notion of sharing decision-making power with children. It concludes by identifying key insights gained from the debate, and emphasizes the importance of addressing these issues to prevent the disjuncture from growing between what many practitioners believe, and what they are required to practice.