ACCESS TO PLAY IN CRISIS An Enlightening First Step
Access to play in crisis is the special theme of IPA for the period of 2014 – 2017. For inspiration we draw upon the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the General Comment (#17) on article 31 paragraph 53 which states: “...in these situations (children in situations of conflict, humanitarian and natural disasters) opportunities for play, recreation and cultural activity can play a significant therapeutic and rehabilitative role in helping children recover a sense of normality and joy after their experience of loss, dislocation and trauma.” The IPA Special Workshop: Access to Play in Crisis was held at the IPA World Conference in Istanbul in May of 2014. This one-day workshop considered principles, challenges and design of play space for children in situations of conflict as well as in situations of humanitarian and natural disasters. It aimed to draw attention to the play needs and rights of children in situations of crisis and to draw together knowledge and expertise gained through practical interventions to support play. In the short time available it provided a platform for discussion amongst the participants each of who have particular experience, knowledge or expertise to share. The delegates came from nine countries. Sudeshna Chatterjee (India) and ric mcconaghy (Australia) facilitated the workshop. What follows are the workshop notes from two of the groups. More notes from other groups will appear on the IPA website ipaworld.org/access-to-play-in-crisis/.
was, of course, passionate, engaged, and articulate. Despite widely varying experiences from all over the world the focus on outcomes for children became the unifying medium. The group raised a series of issues to be considered including: Problem/Event
Impact
Nuclear power plant accident
Displacement, health issues due to restriction of playing outdoors, including obesity, physical development of small children, fear due to non-specific evidence of effects of radiation
Water – tsunami, flood, hurricane, earthquake
Displacement, loss of villages and areas for play, death, contamination
Fires – bushfires, wild fires
Devastation of all life forms, trees, wildlife, humans, access to natural resources
Civil war
Death, poverty, illiteracy rates due to disturbed and unsafe childhood, access to play denied, deterioration of law and order, psychological impacts, insecure food and water supplies, loss of parents, displacement, radiation impact on surrounding countries
Use of chemicals
Polluted food bowls, affected water supplies, changed nature of natural foods, affected insects that pollinate, commercialisation of food supply
Land use conflict
Displacement of habitat and communities
GROUP #1 The members of this group were: • ric mcconaghy, Playspace Designer, children’s advocate • Mine Göl-Güven, Bogaziçi University • Selim Iltus, Bernard van Leer Foundation • Erum Kamran, Children & Nature Network Asia • Senay Sevim, Turkish Red Crescent • Isami Kinoshita, Chiba University • Georgianna Duarte, University of Texas at Brownville We had a group with many cultures, languages, beliefs and philosophies. We needed time just to get to know each other and to get started, to connect, to understand. We needed to ensure everyone felt that they could contribute and be heard. This took time, patience, concentration and listening to stories. The group
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P L A Y R I G H T S • I P A W O R L D . O R G
Notes compiled by ric mcconaghy.
