Children`s Participation in Community Decision-Making Processes: Empirical Support for Children`s Rights in Ghana

Abstract

Looking at the scientific research data lacunae in the area of children’s participation in community decision-making processes in the context of festival and community forum in Ghana, this research was aimed to bridge the gap. The research was conducted in Techiman municipal of Ghana, using qualitative methods of interviews and focus groups to explore the traditional leaders’ and junior high school children’s perspectives on socio-cultural tenets and rights towards children’s participation in community decision-making. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and content analysis approach were used to analyse the data from the experience of the (11) participants; 10 children and 1 traditional chief. The results from these analyses indicated that age (gerontocracy) and religiosity with their values such as respect and obedience, influenced children’s perceptions of their participation in community Apoo festival and community forum for decision making. It also revealed that children are aware and have knowledge about their legal rights, but their knowledge are mixed up and are limited in scope. In all, community Apoo festival appeared in the results as holding a special potential to children’s liberty rights and helps to break the hierarchy of powers between elders and children as well as cultural norms affecting children. Implications for community psychologists and actors in the field of children’s rights and policy were offered on how festival can be used to influence and to teach children about participatory rights.