“Hot Paths” and “Killer Teachers”: Local Understandings of Risks to Child Well Being and Communal Response in Aceh, Indonesia

The purpose of this research was twofold: to understand community-identified threats to child well being in Aceh province, Indonesia, and to map communal mechanisms in place to respond to these threats. The research was undertaken in two districts (one severely affected by the 2004 tsunami, the other less so).  The team employed a variety of qualitative methodologies including focus group discussions, a participatory ranking methodology, key informant interviews, community timelines and functional network analyses. The study found that school-drop out, early marriage and domestic violence were understood as key concerns in communities.  Sexual harassment, drug abuse (use of gele/marijuana), bullying and the fear of kidnapping were also identified as problems.   The findings indicate that children rely most heavily on informal networks (family members, teachers, the imam and other local ²leaders²) to mediate or respond to such threats to their well being.  This was the case in both districts, despite the heavy presence of NGO and government support in the communities severely affected by the tsunami. Findings highlight important gaps in the current national child protection system, and the authors offer recommendations for strengthening linkages between communal mechanisms for protecting children and the national system.