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Paper short abstract:

The views of children on the role of their donkey/s have never been sought directly. This paper outlines ethical considerations arising from working with children in the field that had not been foreseen at the planning stage, and the challenges in obtaining ethical approval.

Paper long abstract:

Two mixed-sex focus group discussions (FGDs) in two different study sites were held with children during the 2018 dry season in northern Ghana. The same protocol was followed with two separate-sex FGDs during the 2019 wet season. Four double interviews with boys and girls from donkey and non-donkey-owning households in both study sites, and two semi-structured interviews with siblings from a donkey and non-donkey-owning family in Gia only were held. Respondents were between 10 – 16-years-old: none took part in more than one research activity and informed assent and consent were obtained from all children and their parents. Consideration was given to the deeper ethical sensitivities when working with children compared with adults, especially the uneven power dynamics when working in the Majority world. However, issues arose in the field that had not been taken into account at the planning stage. These included: protection from harm, with perceptions of potentially lowering standards of safety in different field settings and the impossibility of ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of young participants in rural village settings. Results indicate that using age-appropriate research instruments children from a young age can provide accurate, in-depth data on their interactions with animals, including how they are used in gender-specific ways. Researchers need to be aware that unexpected ethical issues may arise during research in the field that may not allow time for the careful thought and ethical reflection needed to make optimal ethical decisions, especially for inexperienced Ph.D. students.