Children at the Center

A collaborative research was commissioned in early 2018 by Save the Children to gather the views of 458 children (238 girls, 220 boys) on the impact of the conflict, identify their views of what peace looks like, and determine how children can more meaningfully contribute to peaceful social cohesion. Quota sampling was utilized to ensure the numbers of Buddhist (21%) and Muslim (79%) children (aged 12-17) reflected the proportions of children living in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. Additionally, a diverse and purposeful sample of key informants consisting of local authorities, military representatives, religious leaders, provincial authorities, education leaders, parents, teachers, and local civil society organizational leaders in all three provinces

were interviewed.

This research sought to promote child participation in two key dimensions: using collaborative approaches to develop the research tools and encouraging child participants to comfortably express themselves during youth-led focus group discussion. Throughout this research, children shared their concerns and recommendations to improve child participation in peacebuilding and promote social cohesion. This briefer shades a light on children voices and promotes their solutions to alleviate the tensions in the region.