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Localising De-Institutionalisation : The Potentials of Article 20 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Context of Rajasthan, India

Mortensen, Therese LU (2018) In Asia in Focus 5.
Abstract
Article 20 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
recognises the vulnerability of children growing up outside a family
environment, and sets the ground for the paradigm of ‘institutions as
a last resort’. However, ‘care homes’ or ‘hostels’ are still common forms
of alternative care solutions for children from impoverished families
in India. This article asks to what extent the clear impetus towards
de-institutionalisation in human rights discourses, especially among
international NGOs, has potential to change such practices. The study
contributes to a body of scholarship on ‘localising children’s rights’ by
presenting findings from an ethnographic case study of an institution
for... (More)
Article 20 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
recognises the vulnerability of children growing up outside a family
environment, and sets the ground for the paradigm of ‘institutions as
a last resort’. However, ‘care homes’ or ‘hostels’ are still common forms
of alternative care solutions for children from impoverished families
in India. This article asks to what extent the clear impetus towards
de-institutionalisation in human rights discourses, especially among
international NGOs, has potential to change such practices. The study
contributes to a body of scholarship on ‘localising children’s rights’ by
presenting findings from an ethnographic case study of an institution
for HIV-infected/affected children in Rajasthan, India. The institution in
question played a range of social functions other than childcare such as
education, a means for parents to rescue their children from extreme
poverty, and a supportive and de-stigmatised environment for the
community of people living with HIV/AIDS. The article argues that
social functions of existing institutions should be taken into account
when developing rights-based de-institutionalisation strategies. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Asia in Focus
volume
5
publisher
Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS)
ISSN
2446-0001
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
7c9b6551-956d-4133-9766-ca2aec8ac315
alternative location
http://asiainfocus.dk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/AIF_ISSUE5_Mortensen.pdf
date added to LUP
2020-03-08 10:10:19
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:15:04
@article{7c9b6551-956d-4133-9766-ca2aec8ac315,
  abstract     = {{Article 20 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child<br/>recognises the vulnerability of children growing up outside a family<br/>environment, and sets the ground for the paradigm of ‘institutions as<br/>a last resort’. However, ‘care homes’ or ‘hostels’ are still common forms<br/>of alternative care solutions for children from impoverished families<br/>in India. This article asks to what extent the clear impetus towards<br/>de-institutionalisation in human rights discourses, especially among<br/>international NGOs, has potential to change such practices. The study<br/>contributes to a body of scholarship on ‘localising children’s rights’ by<br/>presenting findings from an ethnographic case study of an institution<br/>for HIV-infected/affected children in Rajasthan, India. The institution in<br/>question played a range of social functions other than childcare such as<br/>education, a means for parents to rescue their children from extreme<br/>poverty, and a supportive and de-stigmatised environment for the<br/>community of people living with HIV/AIDS. The article argues that<br/>social functions of existing institutions should be taken into account<br/>when developing rights-based de-institutionalisation strategies.}},
  author       = {{Mortensen, Therese}},
  issn         = {{2446-0001}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS)}},
  series       = {{Asia in Focus}},
  title        = {{Localising De-Institutionalisation : The Potentials of Article 20 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Context of Rajasthan, India}},
  url          = {{http://asiainfocus.dk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/AIF_ISSUE5_Mortensen.pdf}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}