Children's Property and Inheritance Rights in the Context of HIV and AIDS

The present paper – the third in the HIV/AIDS Programme Working Paper Series – is based on field research conducted by two grassroots organizations – CINDI-Kitwe in Zambia and GROOTS Kenya in Kenya to map out and document cases of property grabbing from children, in particular those who became orphans due to AIDS. It is intended to explore methods which grassroots organizations use or can use to document their work. The study adopted a creative and unique manner of investigating children’s issues that is to work directly with orphans and vulnerable children, not only to prepare the workplan but also to conduct the documentation exercise, i.e. by engaging the children who had lost their properties as data collectors. This study contributes to evidence building on children’s rights, HIV and AIDS, children’s livelihoods and ultimately improved interventions and responses to the crisis.