Eye See II

This initiative is premised on the conviction that photography can be a way for children to express themselves in order to heal from trauma. Organisers believe that this art form is a particularly appropriate strategy for children in the developing world, since words are not always adequate to express their own perspectives or describe the lives of those around them who have been marginalised. UNICEF believes that children's photographs provide clues to their interests, concerns, and identities. "Through our pictures, we want to show the world what it's really like here in Kashmir right now," said one 13-year-old student. "By taking pictures," added her classmate, "we can tell people about all our problems, and we have a lot of problems right now."

Interpersonal, participatory encounters were developed to build the capacity of the participating children to express themselves through photographs. More than 160 young people throughout the quake-affected districts of Mansehra and Muzaffarabad learned the art of digital photography at a series of workshops organised by UNICEF, with support from the Government of Pakistan's Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority. The 4-day photography training, which featured interactive play activities, presented the children with an outlet to communicate their experiences and to identify some of their communities' most urgent needs.

Following this process, participants in the Eye See II project took more than 30,000 pictures. "We need shelter, food and water," said Zubair, 8, whose self-portrait was among the group of 35 photos selected by professional photographers for an exhibition which opened in October 2006 at UNICEF's New York headquarters and in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, to mark the one-year anniversary of the disaster. Twenty-one children from areas that were hard-hit by the earthquake attended the Islamabad event, where they met Pakistan's President, General Pervez Musharraf, who toured the exhibit as part of the earthquake anniversary observance. The Eye See II exhibition was scheduled to go on to London, Tokyo, and Rome.

Along these lines, advocacy is a key component of this initiative. Armed with their photographs - a photo essay, including samples, may be viewed by clicking here - the young photographers asked for changes such as the rebuilding of homes and schools, the creation of paved roads, and the fostering of easier access to services so that their mothers don't have to spend time and effort fetching fuel and water. The children's viewpoints will be shared with the government, which has pledged to incorporate them into reconstruction plans.

Children, Risk Management, Rights.