The literature review, “Ethical Principles, Dilemmas and Risks in Collecting Data on Violence against Children” aims to capture current thinking around ethical issues and provide empirical support to guide recommendations for ethical research practice and decision-making in collecting data on violence against children (VAC). The review examines documentation that is of specific relevance to research ethics in collecting data on VAC. It provides an overview of documentation on ethical guidance, ethical codes of countries and professional bodies along with a review of published literature, specifically on consent, protection from harm, privacy and confidentiality, and payment of research participants.
The literature review confirmed that limited documentation exists specific to the ethical guidance for research on VAC. Furthermore, the ethics documentation lacks sufficient depth to guide research across the range of activities related to VAC satisfactorily and a significant gap exists in the guidelines in cases where no services are available for children and child protection workers. Moreover, there are few research-based publications that provide evidence about the risks for children associated with participating in VAC researches.
In order to address this lack of ethical guidance in VAC researches, one can turn to key ethical principles, in conjunction with a children’s rights-based approach to research on VAC, that provide guidance to underpin the development of an ethical framework. The UNCRC is a recognized international instrument of children’s rights that lends itself to conceptualizing ethical research practice and provides a sound basis for prioritizing the best interests of the child in research. The literature review recommends a stronger framework for ethical research practice on VAC and an ongoing investment in continued discussion and extension of knowledge on this critical issue through research.
©ChildFund, FRA, ILO, Plan, Population Council, Save the Children and UNICEF
