La Voz, The Voices of Children and Adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean

Large scale interview research was undertaken by UNICEF with 11,852 children aged 9-18 years from 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was carried out by Time Research Chile in October and November 1999. The survey covered Andean countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil), the Caribbean (Barbados, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica), Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico) and the Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay). Interviews, based on a semi-structured questionnaire, were carried out in the child respondents' homes, but without the presence of parents. Boys and girls from rural and urban areas and from all socio-economic groups were interviewed.

The research included an exploration of children's understanding and experience of their "right to live free of violence in a tranquil home setting". In general, the research found that there was very little awareness among children of their rights, with only one third (29%) being aware of the right not to be maltreated. More than one in four (26%) reported violent and aggressive behaviours (shouting or beatings) in the home, with the highest levels in the Southern Cone (35%), mainly in Argentina, and the Andean Zone (34%), especially in Peru and Bolivia; the lowest were reported in Central America (19%). Such behaviour tended to increase with decreasing income, and was more common in urban areas. For 24%, the aggressive or violent episodes occurred in the context of the child's misbehaviour, with beatings and insults being reported by 16%, a figure higher among blacks and indigenous peoples, younger children, children living in rural areas, boys, and those with lower socioeconomic status. In the Caribbean, where 28% overall reported being beaten, the highest reports were from Haiti (40%), Guyana (23%) and Dominican Republic (20%). In the Andean region (14%), Ecuador (19%) and Peru (18%) ranked highest. In Central America (14%), the highest reports were from Guatemala (19%) and Honduras (17%).

The research found that aggressive and violent behaviour in the home decreases children's happiness. When asked what changes they would like to make within the family, 6% of children said they would prefer their parents to "not be so severe".

UNICEF (1999), La Voz, The Voices of Children and Adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean
Further information available at: http://www.unicef.org/polls/eapro/index.html

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