"I was born here": Children's participation and refugee education in Pakistan
Project: Gender and Forced Displacement
Author: Madeeha Ansari
The purpose of this report is to explore how children with a history of forced mobility and urban poverty respond to educational programmes that enable meaningful participation, and engage them as agents of change in their communities.
We look, in particular, at the experiences of children of Afghan origin who participated in a Child to Child programme during COVID-19. The “Partners in Learning” or “Seekho Sikhao Saathi” programme was adapted and implemented by the organisation Cities for Children in informal settlements in Islamabad, Pakistan, drawing upon a Child to Child early learning model called “Getting Ready for School.” Through this, older children aged 10-14 were trained to deliver playful early learning sessions to younger children aged 3-6 in safe ways within their communities, to offset the impact of school closures. The programme aimed to preserve a link with learning while boosting resilience and agency for children during COVID-19.
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