Researching street-frequenting young people in Suva: ethical considerations and their impacts

Abstract

This paper discusses the reflections and experiences of conducting research with street-frequenting young people on the streets of Suva, Fiji. Much attention is devoted to ethical considerations and their impacts in relation to the issues of access, the researcher's positionality and data collection methods. These are important for two reasons, one this study is the first in-depth research with children and young people on the streets of Suva, Fiji and secondly the methodology adopted is novel to the context. The methodology is influenced by the new sociology of childhood congruent with the notion of rights-based research with children and young people. Participation lies at the centre of this approach dictating a shift in the way children and young people are perceived and influencing the choice of research methods adopted in understanding them. The paper takes the position that there is much to be understood in this area of research with children and young people on the streets of Fiji and perhaps of the Pacific. The experiences are worth sharing especially in societies where an appreciation for research and its outcomes are poorly appreciated and acknowledged.

Keywords:

• street children
• street-frequenting young people
• research ethics
• participatory research
• rights-based approach

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the young people who participated in the research on which this paper is based. I would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers and the editors, as well as Vanisha Mishra for their constructive comments on the earlier draft of this paper.