Orphans and Vulnerable Children - CRIN

Protecting the Inheritance Rights of Children

In this activity, you will:

 Discuss what inheritance rightsare and why it is important to protect the inheritance

rights of children

Facilitator’s notes:

Inheritance rights are privileges or claims to property and possessions that children are morally and

legally entitled to, based on the succession plans of their late parents. These plans, such as wills,

outline their wishes for who should inherit their possessions, and what should happen to their

children. Inheritance rights are important for the children left behind because it means that:

• They will be able to keep their family home and familiar possessions


• They have some emotional link with their parents


• They have a sense of emotional security and belonging


• They will be looked after by a guardian of their own and their parents’ choosing.

When legally binding, the instructions in succession plans must be obeyed. However, if no legal plans

have been made to secure the property of the parents and to find a guardian for the children, then

problems can arise. After the death of a parent (especially the breadwinner) and there is no will,

then inheritance rights are often denied. This may cause the following problems:

• House, property and possessions could be taken over by relatives


• Family faces homelessness and poverty; children may take to the streets


• Possible separation of children


• Children experience stress and anxiety


• Children lose a sense of their family identity and social background


• Children have no guardian or may be placed in unfamiliar surroundings.

Home visitor’s can help ensure that these events do not occur, by helping people to secure their

children’s future by making plans for them before they die.

For this activity you will need:

 Flipchart and markers

 Stick it pads

To facilitate this activity:

1 Divide the participants into pairs and ask them to discuss what they understand by inheritance

rights. Once they have definitions, they can write them on stick it notes and stick them up on

the flipchart. When they have finished this, discuss the responses with the group in plenary, adding

any more points from your facilitator’s notes.

2 Next, discuss with the group what can happen if children are denied their inheritance rights.

Write these up on the flipchart, and add points from your facilitator’s notes. Then get the group

to brainstorm actions that parents can take to ensure that children enjoy their inheritance rights

after their death.

Activity 2

30 minutes

(^280) Unit 2, Module 4 Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children