Okwany, Auma

Dr. Okwany received her Ph.D. in Education Studies from Indiana University. She is a Lecturer in Social Policy at the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands.

Role of Knowledge and Culture in Child Care in Africa: A Sociological Study of Several Ethnic Groups in Kenya and Uganda

2012 0-7734-1583-1
This book examines early childhood development (ECD) in Africa. The authors study the positive and negative cultural practices of ethnic groups in Kenya and Uganda and their influence on ECD. While emphasizing the positive, the authors argue that negative local practices such as female genital mutilation, child marriage, and child labor must be challenged because they may violate human rights and are detrimental to the well-being of children. Significantly, the authors conclude that while the forces of globalization have begun to transform education and have led to cultural dissociation in Africa, positive ECD strategies must strengthen rather than supplant the natural and local realities for children.