Children and International Development

International development has to do with economic and human development in different countries, particularly since independence from colonial rule after World War II. With the establishment of various multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, international development has focused on relieving poverty and improving living standards in former colonies and otherwise poor countries. Children and youth studies have critically examined the ways that international development engages young people and vice versa.

[Page 366]To understand the implications of international development for children, it is necessary to understand how young people have traditionally figured into development discourse. This entry first traces the history of development interventions on behalf of children, from innocent objects of development to rights-based participation. It then ...