CIESPI (Coordinator of Studies and Research on Children)
CIESPI focuses and funds research into children’s issues (especially youth homelessness) and serves as a library and clearing house for information, books, and dissertations. It’s director, Irene Rizzini, is one of the most respected voices in the world on the question of street children.
Because the program is based out of the PUC-Rio, CESPI has the opportunity to integrate its knowledge into the curricula of various departments. It also offers classes for street educators, social workers, psychologists, and others who work directly with children. In addition, CIESPI co-ordinates two prevention programs in Rio’s favelas.
Perhaps uniquely in the world, in Brasil street children are a legitimate topic of academic study; this has played a large role in the nation’s success. Unfortunately, when CIESPI began to compile a bibliography on street kid research, it discovered that many people were working on exactly the same topics. In response, it created a CD-ROM database of all dissertations and books on street kids; in this way, new reseach need not replicate what is already known.
In addition to contemporary studies, CIESPI attempts to “rescue the history of children in Brasil.” It recognizes that street children are simply the newest manifestation excluding the poor, children, and women from civil society. This work includes social history and a recent compilation of all Brazilian legislation (since 1882) concerning children. CIESPI wishes to compile an archeology of the knowledge about young people in Brasil.
The CIESPI prospectus (in English) is available here or in Portuguese here.
Caixa Postal: 38002 – CEP 22 451 970
Rio de Janeiro – RJ - Brasil
Phone: 55 21 9432-3327, 55 21 3114-1656 extension 39, Fax: 55 21 3114-1292
e.mail: ciespi@ciespi.org.br
www.ciespi.org.br
Contacts: Irene Rizzini, Director, rizzini@hexanet.com.br
