RunningHead:ANALYSISOFIMAGESOFCHILDREN

Analysis of Images of Children

UNICEF, (1990 - 2014), Child Rights in South Asia
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ANALYSISOFIMAGESOFCHILDREN

IMAGES

Source : <https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F
%2Flearningforpeace.unicef.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads
%2F2014%2F01%2FUNI155177.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F
%2Flearningforpeace.unicef.org%2Ffeatured%2Fpress-release-a-staggering-27-millionchildren-are-out-of-school-in-south-asia
%2F&docid=KUwphl8172axmM&tbnid=44mhihYGMrFntM
%3A&w=4368&h=2912&bih=667&biw=1366&ved=0ahUKEwisn9M7KHMAhWBMhoKHSceB_sQMwgcKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8>.

Source: <http://learningforpeace.unicef.org/featured/press-release-a-staggering-27million-children-are-out-of-school-in-south-asia/>.

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ANALYSISOFIMAGESOFCHILDREN

Source: <http://learningforpeace.unicef.org/featured/press-release-a-staggering-27million-children-are-out-of-school-in-south-asia/>.

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Source: <https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbeta.radio.gov.pk
%2Fdigital_images%2Flarge%2F2014-09-13%2Fprogress-seen-for-children-rights-insouth-asia-unicef-1453745575-2353.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbeta.radio.gov.pk
%2F13-Sep-2014%2Fprogress-seen-for-children-rights-in-south-asiaunicef&docid=zAo9XzbbmIpeBM&tbnid=Sf4lrWc5Ou8whM
%3A&w=800&h=546&itg=1&bih=667&biw=1366&ved=0ahUKEwisn9M7KHMAhWBMhoKHSceB_sQMwgkKAgwCA&iact=mrc&uact=8>.

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Source: <http://learningforpeace.unicef.org/featured/press-release-a-staggering-27million-children-are-out-of-school-in-south-asia/>.

Source: <http://www.unicefrosa-progressreport.org/>.

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Introduction
Children and the youth have continued to be a pillar of focus especially in recent
years. As such, quite some developments have come about into contributing to this
increased focus, with one of the more important institutions being the various arms of
the United Nations, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
(UNCRC). The past two decades have especially seen the increased recognition of
childhood being a crucial stage in the life that has been proven to affect later adulthood.
In spite of some of these strides, there have been concerns as pertains the effects of
dynamic social changes as well as new technologies that have an effect on the lives of
children. A myriad of academic disciplines have attempted to study and say in plenty
regarding children and childhood, up to and including anthropology, psychology,
sociology, social geography, and history. Each of these disciplines provide differing, and
every so often conflicting perspectives (Morrow, 2011).
For purposes of an analysis of images of children, this paper seeks to look at
UNICEF related images reflecting the child rights in South Asia. These images will be
used with the intent to provide a theme line as related to aspects such the perceptions
the images portray, the circumstances the children are in, etc.
Meaning of Childhood
The manner in which individuals think about as well as comprehend children and
childhood is of great importance since it is these views and ideas that ultimately affect
the way in which societies treat and relate with children. The UN Convention that was

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on the Right of the Child defined a child as any such person that belongs to the age
bracket of below 18 years of age. However, there is the tendency of people to overlook
a latter part of the very same of UNCRCs Article 1 that states that a child means every
human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the
child, majority is attained earlier. The meaning of this statement recognizes that there
may be countries wherein marriage has the implication of one having attained the age
of majority of adulthood, giving rise the aspect that childhood technically ceases when
an individual gets marries. Some countries have different laws permitting girls and boys
to marry at varying ages. For example, Vietnam permits girls to legally get marries at
the ages of 18 and 20 respectively, while laws in South Africa and Chiles denotes
marriage age as being 12 and 14 for girls and boys respectively (Morrow, 2011).
Storyline that the Images Create
In terms of the story that these images tell about childhood, global power
relations and child protection versus childrens agency, these will be discussed within
the scope of this paper. The first image can be seen emanating from children who are
anywhere between the age of 5-13. While these children seem to be generally happy, it
is evident that this is a school going age. It is a widely known fact that in many
developing countries such as South-Asia, many children lack access to fundamental
needs such as a basic education. Children may be happy just as these ones are, but
this lack of a basic education nonetheless usually takes a huge toll on their lives. The
same can be said from the second picture, where similar looking children can be seen
to be in a class-room setting, albeit somewhere outside and on the ground.

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Even if the children in the first two pictures look relatively happy, they can be
linked together to see that there seems to be a general lack of educational level for
them or that their basis educational needs are minimal and wanting. Such could be as a
result of poverty, possible conflict, cultural norms, disasters, emergencies or simply
social depravation. The children in these two pictures seem to come from rural set ups,
wherein the girls in particular would comprise of the majority of those lacking basic
needs. They could also be coming from urban slums, be children with disabilities, from
ethnic minorities, and even be possible girl laborers whose greatest risk becomes not
being given a fair chance to the basic tenets of life. There is no question that education
is a basic human right, forming the basis upon which the realization of each and every
other right is coined from.
The third image is albeit providing for a better social makeup, depicting children
who are probably around the fifth grade attending classes while seated outside their
school. South-East Asia is an area frequently bombarded by natural disasters such as
earthquakes, making it a dire region for children, especially during such natural
calamities. If their faces are anything to go by, one would be unable to know the
possible trauma that many of these children have seen or undergone, let alone survive
through.
Global power relations come into play from the aspect that the rights of children
is largely determined by the local and global social and economic dimensions of the
context within which children live and grow up in. Subsequently, looking at all the
images above, it can be inferred that just like the cultural dimensions that these children
find themselves in in South Asia, the socio-economic dimension of their global

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environment, it asks for a profound analysis and empathy of the manner in which global
socio-economic means are put together, as well as whether such mobilization adds onto
the realization the children too are deserving of human dignity (Vandenhole, Desmet,
Reynaert & Lembrechts, 2015, Pp. 419-420).
The fourth image depicts a rather different message as compared to the others,
and probably closer home as concerns child protection vs. childrens agency. Basic child
protection as can be seen is expected to emanate from the parents or guardians. In
many countries however, departments or units dealing with child protection also exist,
whose main aim is to curb child abuse or neglect. The basics of child protection belongs
to the childs parents or guardians, but in the even that there is abuse or neglect, this
would be at the point where a childrens agency comes in. The line of distinction of
whether we are looking at the various relations and child protection emanate from the
essence of the need to have frontiers between coming up with an respecting the
autonomy of children. So this would make us wonder then about what the implication of
childrens agencies would be for adults as well. It would seem that the ontology of
childrens agency would be quite similar to that of adults, with children also being agents
in a much more similar manner as that of adults as agents (Ryan, 2012, Pp. 154-156).
Point of View Being Conveyed in the Images
The point of view of images may usually find that they contain a representational
context in excess of what they represent in terms of what can be perceived in them.
Figures such as in the images above may exist in what may be termed as within the
represented space, however, not necessarily so the part of it which is represented. As

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such, certain cases may have what may be termed as unpresented spectators in what
may also be inferred to as the spectator in the picture which in the case of the above
images may very well be myself as I am the viewer of the images. Just like in any
picture, all the above images are depicting things from a specific point of view, with the
perspective wherein one may observe something especially in instances of ordinary
visual perception being a matter of a point in space, and relative to what is being seen
(Walton, 2008, p. 148).
In the first image, the point of view being presented is one from which there is a
classroom set up, no matter how simple it may be within the setup of the natural
environment. The children certainly seem happy and the environment under which they
are learning does not seem to bother them at all. What is of concern to them seems to
be the opportunity via which has been presented, and which they feel that they are still
together attempting to achieve something. Under the same breath, it can be deemed
that no circumstance will hinder the learning that apparently must happen. It could be
inferred that maybe something could have happened to their classroom, and as is
known, South East Asia could have at the time been hit by an earthquake or any other
natural calamity. It would seem that there may have been some time wherein there was
no learning taking place, and the resumption of school must have truly excited these
children so much, that the absence of a building does not seem to deter them.
The second image could be looked at the point of view of children at play in the
field. Probably a guest stumbled upon these children during some activity. The
environment around them may not have been the easiest under current situations, but
here we are having three children who seem to be just happy to receive a guest and

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can afford big smiles on their faces. While the full bodies cannot be seen in this second
image, the children could possibly have been from doing something they like; but as is
characteristic of children who have grown up in turbulent regions, it could also be that
they were at play and could even have missed a meal. But regardless of the situation
that these children under, what is clear as a guest would be that nothing will stop them
from being happy for as long as they are together.
The third image seems to be the most promising of all. Here, the children look
smart and in possession of the basic necessities, probably also after some calamity as it
seems like they are learning within an open space as well. They look well fed, and the
point of view could be from a teachers point, wherein they are able to perceive a
modest outdoor classroom full of children and receiving a good education. It could be
that the reason this picture of children looking organized is that some relief agency had
already come to their aid and provided for their basic needs so that they can proceed
with their education with minimal interruption. Of interest within this picture is that all the
children seem to be girls. With a theme of education of the girl child, it could also be that
this image depicts the point of view of an activist in favor of the girl child receiving an
education.
The fourth image depicts the point of view as from someone who has been in
war. The pictures portrays an almost desperate situation where the ability for these
children to get a basic education had been taken away from them at some point. The
setting seems set within a rural one. So, two points of view can emerge as well here.
The first being from a soldiers perspective where this could be some secured camp

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where children are receiving an education, or one from where these children are based
within some rural setting that is poor, and some agency is there trying to help them.
Looking at the fifth image provides one with a sense that this can be seen from
the point of view of a tourist, probably within the streets somewhere in South Asia. The
child is most likely being held by his mother. But looking at the fact that he has almost
no clothes on, there could be extreme temperatures within the area, or again, this is
family that is technically finding it hard to get by. Clothes therefore could be a luxury,
with children not a priority when it comes to clothes.
The final image again looks like it is within a rural schooling set up. Probably a
documentary about the importance of education or what it takes for some societies to
receive education could be happening. The children look hurdled together, and it can be
inferred that they are sitting on a bench, listening to a teacher. At least this picture
shows the classroom has a roof and basic structures, providing for a probable
experience trail of children within South Asia.
Source Controlling the Representation
In terms of what the sources controlling the representations of the images above
curtail, it is clear that for each of them, some special branch of a United Nations
department had been charged with covering a certain aspect of these children and their
environment. As such, there is a special focus on the challenges of these children, and
what they have to go through for the fundamental rights.
Self-Representation versus Representations by Others

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In terms of what I find appears to be self-representation, I would define it as a

situation in which an individual provides a state or situation in which the self is
manifested, providing that the ability to be given a neutral voice is not there, and one
brings out something depicting himself. This would be making a statement not regarding
others, but with a focus on himself. Representation by others would thus be in essence
be something being made in regards of others. A neutral party takes it thus upon
themselves to provide an opinion about someone else. In the images above, these are
most likely situations in which there is representation by others. That is, other than
those depicted in the images, there was someone who wanted to pass some message
or create a memory about what they were seeing, or about a situation that they were
aware about.
Self-representation would be to the end where an individual may be attempting to
elevate himself, or bring some attention about something on the self. Probably a good
situation would be from a political angle where the element of self-representation is
seen quite a bit with individuals desiring to splash a lot of attention on themselves, and
bring out certain things about themselves. Representation by others could be to the end
of igniting some course of action from certain quarters. For example, the images above
could be attempting to attain the end of providing empathy or simply reducing ignorance
on certain realities.
Most Represented Amongst Children
In many images that attempt to represent children, the girl child is usually the
most represented. It could be that the rights of girls has for centuries been largely

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ignored, bringing out the need over the years to be cognizant of the unique role that
girls too have within the society. So much so has this been that terms such as
educating the girl educates a village have been coined to denote just how the binary
effect could be when girls are represented within a society.
Amongst children, the ones who are mostly absent would be infants, and in some
cases, boys. Depending on the circumstance, there could also be the lack of
representation of children belonging to certain categories, such as those from minority
groupings. In what I would call as a barrier to participation, there could be children who
are from such disadvantaged or minor communities, that they are ultimately denied the
opportunity to get any form of representation depending on the desired outcome of the
person performing the representation. Representation can also be possibly seen again
from the chance of children being able to participate in early childhood settings, but
evidence based research has proven time and again that this is not always a possibility,
but one that would nonetheless provide for the chance to inform for policy and service
delivery amongst some of these minority groups.
Searching for where the gaps may be, this would lead us back to participatory
representation. By this, I would be meaning that children such as those in the above
images are provided with opportunities to be active participants within their
communities, so that they are able to have the desired chance to have their needs
represented. Many children in South Asia lack stable environments that inevitably lest
them more vulnerable to any such number of adverse outcomes. Subsequently, threats
become present and preset in their lives to such situations as poverty and hunger, and
which may precede episodes of ailments or homelessness. Gaps therefore now may

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arise as a result of health outcomes due to homelessness and an apparent declined

ability to access medical care.
Children in the images portrayed may be without any stable home, and even if
they are getting an attempt at receiving an education, more likely to keep repeating
grades, and even more than twice likely to find themselves dropping out of school for
any such reasons as being expelled. A security gap would also then manifest itself,
especially as precipitated by the fact that many such children may have at some point
witnessed violence, and as a result have issues related to anxiety and depression.
Homelessness may result in eventual separation from parents or guardians, removing
the essence of protection for the children. Many factors may contribute to children being
homeless. The images above may not be far from the truth of this fact for some of the
children, especially so due to a lack of affordable housing, violence, war, poverty, etc.
Homeless children as well as those without basic necessities like education can present
a challenge when attempting to count them, as their living situations frequently change.
The children in the images above may account for momentary periods of stability.
It is said that images tell a thousand words. Cognition of the images above would
illustrate that they are largely from Asian descent. Looking at aspects related to the
class or social status that they belong to, it is fairly easy to denote that they are from
poor backgrounds or from some of the lower classes within their respective
communities. This can be inferred from the lack of basic infrastructure in many of the
images, as well as from the manner in which they are portrayed by their code of dress in
the last three images.

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Conclusion

Images are said to say a thousand words. They are able to portray emotions,
provide depictive stories, and even provide for action to a course. This is even more so
when people see images of children, who are amongst the most vulnerable of groups.
The images in this paper focused on children in South Asia. This is an area known to
have its share of challenges, more commonly natural ones. Subsequently, the images
are able to provide the challenges of children in this region, especially so from an
educational one, wherein it seems a common scenario that children are often excluded
from receiving basic needs such as education and basic shelter. If the determination on
the faces of the children in these images are anything to go by, then it leaves no thought
to wonder that children are truly a special part of society and hold promise for a better
world.

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References
Morrow, V. (2011). Understanding Children and Childhood. Centre for Children and
Young People. Southern-Cross University, NSW, Australia. Retrieved from
<http://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=ccyp_pubs>.
Ryan, C. (2012). Children of War: Child Soldiers as Victims and Participants in the
Sudan Civil War. New York, NY: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd.
Vandenhole, W., Desmet, E., Reynaert, D. & Lembrechts, S. (Eds.) (2015). Routledge
International Handbook of Childrens Right Studies. New York, NY: Routledge.
Walton, K.L. (2008). Marvelous Images: On Values and the Arts. New York, NY: Oxford
University Press, Inc.