expository essay on child abuse in nigeria

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41 The Child Protection System in Nigeria

Chimezie L. Elekwachi, African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect, ANPPCAN

Peter O. Ebigbo, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (emeritus), Nigeria.

• Published: 22 March 2023
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This chapter discusses the Nigerian child protection system. Child maltreatment in Nigeria is a significant issue, while HIV/AIDS remains to be a major issue currently influencing child protection. As inequality grows rapidly, the unstable economic growth of Nigeria continued to impose substantial welfare costs on Nigerian households. The lack of job opportunities is the core of high poverty levels, regional inequality, and social and political unrest across Nigeria. Moreover, the majority of children never tell anyone about the physical violence or sexual violence they experienced, while only less than 5% of them receive the support they need to recover. Child labor becomes the focus of the child protection programming in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

Introduction

Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa with about 182 million people; about 50% (91,855,000) are estimated to be children under 18 years ( UNICEF, 2016 ). Nigeria is a major player in West Africa considering its political, economic, and population input in the sub-region. Nigeria constitutes about 47% of West Africa’s population ( World Bank, 2019 ) with one of the largest youth populations in the world. The United Nations estimates that in 2015, one-fifth of children under 18 years in Africa were born in Nigeria, and by 2050 Nigeria will acquire the status of 10th of all global births; a majority of Nigeria’s population, including youth, will live in cities ( UNICEF, 2014 ).

Child maltreatment in Nigeria is a significant problem. It is estimated that six in 10 children have experienced physical, psychological, or sexual abuse before their 18th birthday (National Population Commission of Nigeria et al., 2015). To respond to this the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are the key players. The government has largely used legislation and policymaking to address child maltreatment, whereas the NGOs are more focused on developing and implementing child protection programs based on children’s needs. The NGOs also complement the government in implementing the laws and also holding government accountable in terms of ensuring that the children are well protected. HIV/AIDS is a major issue currently influencing child protection in Nigeria. The UNAIDS 2010 report indicates that 2.5 million children in Nigeria are orphaned by the AIDS epidemic. Other factors affecting orphaning and vulnerability include food insecurity, poverty, conflict, natural disasters, malaria, and other infectious diseases. Children who lack parental care and support are classified as vulnerable, and some of them consequently migrate alone to urban areas due to parental loss, family breakdown, or escaping early marriage unaccompanied by an adult ( National Population Commission, 2008 ). Poverty, gender inequality, sectarian violence, maternal mortality, and conflict are also responsible for orphaning in Nigeria (Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, 2007).

This chapter reviews the current child maltreatment landscape in Nigeria. It takes on a historical review of literature on efforts at child protection, the evolving forms of child maltreatment, and the programs and the system of response to various forms of abuse as they occur in Nigeria.

Nigeria practices a federal system of government. Nigeria’s federation consists of 36 autonomous states within a multi-ethnic and culturally diverse society. Nigeria has an abundance of resources, it is one of Africa’s biggest crude oil exporters, and also has one of the largest natural gas reserves on the continent ( OPEC, 2019 ). However, the unstable economic growth of Nigeria continues to impose substantial welfare costs on Nigerian households. Inequality in terms of income and opportunities has been growing rapidly and has adversely affected poverty reduction. Historically, Nigeria is an amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorates of the British colonial empire since 1914. The North and South are culturally and socioeconomically different. The North–South divide has widened in recent years due to the Boko Haram (a terrorist organization affiliated to ISIS) insurgency. The abduction of over 200 Chibok girls in the northern Borno state of Nigeria by Boko Haram on April 14, 2014 came to global knowledge and outrage through the popular social media twitter protest #bringbackourgirls. The slow-paced economic development in the northern part of the country is attributed to part of the rise of Boko Haram (a name which translates to “No to Western Education”). These cultural and economic differences have implications for the manifestation of child maltreatment in the north and south. UNICEF indicates that about 10.5 million children (though recent reports show that this has risen to 13.2 million children) do not attend school in Nigeria. Sixty-nine percent of this population is in Northern Nigeria while the rest is in the south. This makes Nigeria the country with the largest number of out-of-school children globally. Large pockets of Nigeria’s population still live in poverty estimated at 87 million people. This also makes Nigeria the capital of poverty on the globe ( Brookings Institute, 2019 ). The lack of job opportunities is at the core of the high poverty levels, of regional inequality, and of social and political unrest in the country ( World Bank, 2019 ).

Child Maltreatment

One in two children experience physical violence, one in four girls and one in ten boys experience sexual violence, and one in six girls and one in five boys experience emotional violence. The majority of children never tell anyone about their experience and less than 5% of children who experience violence receive the support they need to recover ( National Population Commission of Nigeria et al., 2014 ).

Child Protection Policy Trends and Issues

Historically, programming for child protection in Nigeria and indeed Africa officially took a new tone in 1986 during a conference held in Nigeria (April 27–May 2, 1986) titled “Child Labour in Africa.” It is important to note that the focus of that conference was child labor. This was because prior to 1986 child abuse was massively denied in Nigeria ( Ebigbo, 2010 ). Although the theme was centered on child labor, this was a strategy to ensure wide acceptance to be able to gain the buy-in of government and the general public. However, the papers presented during that conference covered various forms of child abuse such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse among other forms of abuse of children.

A Review of the Pre-1986 conference and Post-1986 Conference

Nigeria was described as undergoing rapid political and socioeconomic changes without adequate infrastructure or facilities to cope with them. Rural migration of many unskilled and unemployed young persons moved to populate the urban slums. The urban accommodation system lacked recreational facilities and regular water and electricity supplies, thereby creating psychosocial problems which eroded marital harmony for the new urban migrants. The resultant effect on the one hand was incidence of births to single mothers which resulted in child abandonment, especially babies, in such places as public toilets, dustbins, and street corners ( Animashaun, 1977 ; Ikediashi, 1988 ). On the other hand, some children from large families lived in overcrowded one room accommodations in urban slums and were exposed to abuse by an irritable and stressed parent ( Garbarino & Sherman, 1980 ). Such parents were described to be young, physically ill, alcoholic, unemployed, and suffering from financial and social stresses ( Okeahialam, 1984 ).

The children from large, overcrowded families provided the child labor force for parents from higher socioeconomic status who dwell in urban areas. Such children from rural poor overcrowded families were sent to live in the urban areas as childminders, or house helps in the Nigerian parlance. The new family was typically a nuclear family where both parents/guardians lived in a flat and went to work. In the absence of a grandmother or a senior relative, the young childminder, aged 7–12 years and inexperienced in childcare, took charge of the children of the household. The childminder was integrated into the new home and sometimes benefitted from education— mostly informal—as part of the contractual agreement. In most cases, these children were exploited and worked long hours. Under this circumstance the quality of attention a childminder received from her employers was described as proportional to the attention and care the child(ren) being cared for received. This precipitated physical abuse on the children being cared for in the absence of their parents. The childminder was also vulnerable to various forms of abuse like child labor or deprivation of education ( Okeahialam, 1984 ). To support this, a study by Izuora and Ebigbo (1985) found that the childminders were of below average intelligence and of lower intelligence than the children they looked after.

Female suppression, especially financial suppression, was described as common. Financial suppression occurs when husbands prevent their wives from spending money they earn and Nwamuo (1988) found that this action was associated with child abuse. Low reports of child abuse cases in the media—mostly newspapers—was noted by Obinegbo and Ebigbo (1988) .

In northern Nigeria it was reported that many parents believed their children should be brought up strictly with religious training. As such, they sent mostly male, but also some female children to the so-called Koranic Mallams, who are versed in teaching the Koran. Many of their Mallams are not educated in the western sense. These children were sometimes not visited by their parents. The Mallams live off the children by sending them to the streets to beg or forage for food on refuse dumps. The Mallams often move from city to city and when they die these children may become delinquent as street dwellers if male, and prostitutes if female ( Kisekka, 1981 ).

The stories of mismanagement of resources and poverty have not significantly changed in Nigeria. For example, Ebigbo (2003) noted that although Nigeria is endowed with multiple natural and human resources she has been unable to develop the needed technological, industrial, managerial, and political know-how to pull its resources to take care of the basic needs of its citizens. Consequently, poverty and harsh living conditions are prevalent, affecting children in particular. The traditional culture has been greatly affected by this upheaval occasioned by cultural conflict, gradual industrialization, and imperfect attempts at westernization. This has affected the maintenance of the extended family culture and breakdown of such philosophies like “I am my brother’s keeper.” This has fueled consumerism, get rich quick syndrome, and rural–urban migration with the emergence of the urban poor.

Nigerian women and children have suffered profoundly from lack of sufficient investment in addressing their needs and rights. This has been strongly associated with mismanagement during decades of protracted military rule since independence October 1, 1960. Alongside this has been the decay of public institutions and loss of development opportunities, resulting in widening and deepening poverty, both in terms of household income and access to basic social services ( Federal Government of Nigeria & UNICEF, 2001– ).

Contemporaneously, the role of women has changed from docile housewives to working women who also work to help sustain the family economically. The new role of working outside the home has made women not only keepers of the home and rearers of children but have in many ways, like their male counterparts, become working-class women in the formal sector. However, they have kept their traditional roles as well as playing their new roles. Managing these two roles often leads to domestic violence such as wife battering, maltreatment, and divorce. Imprisonment of women, divorce, widowhood, separation, and so on are described as factors that lead to child abandonment and consequent abuse and neglect. In the case of single mothers who experience extreme situations of isolation and anguish, some may abandon their babies ( Ebigbo, 2003 ).

The condition of infrequent media reports of cases of child abuse has largely changed, as most cases of child abuse and neglect, especially cases of violence, are well covered in the Nigerian dailies and social media.

There has been an increased social media outcry for justice for children such as #justice4ochanya, a young girl who was raped for several years by a brother in-law and her male cousin son until she had vesico-virginal fistula and other complications which finally led to her death.

The prevailing law for children has changed from the Children and Young Person’s Law (Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1979) to the current Child Rights Act (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2003) , which is a domestication of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Union Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, other international instruments such as the ILO convention 138 (Minimum Age and Convention 182, 138), and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (“The Beijing Rules”). These were domesticated in Nigeria in the Child Rights Act (CRA) of 2003. Because Nigeria is a federal state, all the federating individual states must adopt the law to make it suit their peculiarities while not negating the fundamental principles of child rights. Currently in Nigeria there are 24 states out of 36 that have passed the CRA into state laws.

Summary of Common Forms of Child Abuse and Neglect in Nigeria

What follows is a summary of the major types of child maltreatment documented in Nigeria, although we do not have data to describe the scope of the problem.

Child Labor/Street Children

This refers to activities whereby children engage in activities for economic gain which prevents their full development. Dyorough (1988) described child labor as occurring in two contexts: the familial and outside familial contexts. The outside familial context includes street hawking/trading, kiosk operating, newspaper vending, bus conducting, public entertainment, and formal employment, that is, in the wage sector such as in the textile industry, mechanic villages, timber market, petrol filling stations, and hotels and restaurants ( Ekwurigwe, 1988 ; Obikeze, 1988 ; Oloko, 1988 ; Onwuzurike, 1988 ). The presence of children in labor seems to have focused attention on a social pathology known as street children.

Street children are young boys and girls often seen roaming in towns, streets, car parks, and gambling places, and by cinemas, and so on ( Ngboawaji et al., 2009 ). The phenomenon of street children has become a prominent issue in child protection in Nigeria ( Oloko, 1993 ; Ebigbo, 1999 , 2003 ; Olley, 2006 ).

The number of working children in Nigeria is estimated to be 15 million; about 6 million of them can be classified as children in labor. About 2 million of them are classified to be in the worst form of labor and the rest are in various forms of labor ( Nigeria Office of Statistics, 2000/2001 ).

Child Abandonment/Baby Farming

Child abandonment is when a child is totally rejected by his or her biological or adopted parents ( Ikeadiashi, 1988 ). Baby farming refers to the criminal activities in Nigeria which entail the restriction of a person’s willful movement for purposes of forced impregnation, sale of babies, and illegal adoptions ( Huntley, 2013 ). This is a relatively new form of child trafficking. The common occurrence of child abandonment seems to have reduced or metamorphosed into a new form of child trafficking in Nigeria known as baby farming or harvesting.

Child Trafficking

This is a sub-form of the broadly known human trafficking. Child trafficking involves the unlawful movement of children for clandestine activities. According to the Palemo protocol ( UN, 2000 ) human trafficking has three main components which involve the act, the means, and the purpose. The act includes recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons through the means of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability, or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over the other person.

Human trafficking in Nigeria is very common although it is a criminal offence. However, according to the Global Slavery Index (2018) , Nigeria ranks 32nd out of 167 of the countries with the highest number of slaves (1,386,000). The number of people trafficked for the years 2006, 2007, and 2008 are estimated to be 493, 789, and 1269 people, respectively. Victims aged 0–17 years accounted for 49% of total identified persons.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is defined as the absence of required quality time that is necessary for the emotional development of children ( Kalu, 1988 ). This may come in the form of scolding, ridicule, and verbal abuse. Kalu (1988) reported that these forms of emotional aggression were often used as complementary measures of traditional child discipline in Nigeria

Physical Abuse

This is a kind of physical aggression that involves putting children in a way that injures or puts him or her at risk of being injured. This includes beating, kicking, knocking, punching, choking, confinement, and killing. The National Population Commission of Nigeria, UNICEF Nigeria, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in the Violence Against Children Survey (2015) that one in two children experience physical abuse.

Tympanic perforation is a unique form of physical abuse that has been described by Obiako (1988) in Nigeria. This is reported to occur in an attempt to discipline. The tympanic membrane injury/perforation that he reported was due to compression and this was indicative of abuse ( Obiako, 1988 ). He described this perforation to occur as a result of a force striking and occluding the external ear canal. This often occurs as a result of a slap on the ear by the open hand.

Infanticide

Infanticide is the intentional killing of babies. This occurs in the Federal Capital Territory, mainly among the Basso Komo ethnic group of Nigeria. These children are killed mainly for the following reasons: 1) twins, Albinos, and children who grow upper teeth first are perceived as bad luck; 2) if a breastfeeding mother dies, her child is buried with her because the child is perceived as bad luck; 3) if a woman dies during child birth, it is also perceived as bad luck and the child should die too.

These killings are based on cultural beliefs that perceive any abnormality such as disability or tragic circumstance during birth as ill luck brought by the child. These children are often killed through poisoning or suffocation; in some instances they are buried alive.

Sexual Abuse

Izuora (1988) reported several cases of children who presented to the hospital with various symptoms such as acute abdominal pain. These was later discovered to be incomplete abortion, septic criminal abortion, and teen pregnancy. The root causes of sexual abuse identified from the cases were emotional neglect, poverty, and ignorance of the father and mother.

Female genital mutilation involves the removal of the clitoral hood or labia minora, the excision of the clitoris and the damaging act of infibulation. This is considered as a form of sexual abuse. The age at which female genital mutilation is performed varies from the first week after a female baby’s birth to after a woman delivers her first baby.

Child marriage is also considered a subtype of sexual abuse. It involves giving away a young child for the purposes of marriage. A child here refers to a person who is below the age of 18 years.

Therapeutic/Drug Abuse

Therapeutic abuse is defined as the practice whereby parents or guardians force their children to undertake a number of medications or undergo procedures which may be detrimental to their well-being. Some of these drugs are usually inappropriate, often unnecessary, and sometimes harmful. Examples of such drugs are antimicrobial agents, anti-diarrheal medicines, cough expectorants, steroid creams, and a host of others ( Ukabam & Ibe, 1988 ).

Abuse of Children with Disabilities

Izuorah (1988) appraised the abuse of children with disabilities in Nigeria and identified a three-dimensional phenomenon involving families, society, and the government. In families (father, mother, and extended family), common problems include:

Refusal to seek proper medical advice early.

Denial of special investigation, mainly due to religious reasons. Many parents or guardians rejected investigation and treatment on religious grounds.

Refusal to buy drugs.

Failure to take children with epilepsy to the hospital for doctor’s appointment. Izuorah (1988) reported about 18% of cases of neglect and apathy of children with disability on the part of the parents and guardians.

Inadequate stimulation and care by parents and guardians due to inexperienced and unstable mothers who fail to understand the importance of rehabilitative services for children with a disability.

Self-medication.

Total absence of care.

Starvation by mothers or substitute parent.

Abandonment of malformed babies.

Fatal poisoning or mutilation of children with a disability.

In society, abuse and neglect occur due to:

Abuse by orthodox doctors: this includes observed over dosage or under dosage for children with epilepsy or mental retardation.

Abuse by quacks or traditional healers, including such practices as splints for paralytic polio, extensive therapeutic scalp and body scarification in epilepsy, induced burns on the limbs of epileptics, incision of the frequelum linguae in dumb children, or mutilation of limbs or the body.

Abuse by drug makers, including the sale of some orthodox drugs that have been proven dangerous, teratogenic, or worthless. Also, the sale of untested drugs and concoctions made locally were also reported.

Abuse by religious sects including some prayer houses, spiritualists, and religious sects. These groups were reported to claim possession of a cure to all handicapping diseases like epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and so on. Some religious sects refuse blood transfusion, some believe that healing will be achieved only through prayer and fasting.

Lack of informed knowledge leading to ignorance in the general public towards the plight and the need to protect children with disabilities.

Finally, the government is complicit in disabled children’s abuse. The following forms of abuse were observed by Izuorah (1988):

Failure to ensure preventive measures or adequate primary healthcare.

Failure to set up adequate rehabilitation centers or institutions for the disabled.

Inadequate funding for the care of the handicapped.

Absence and failure to implement already set down laws and regulations for protection of handicapped children.

Failure to create adequate awareness in the society about the problems of the handicapped.

Failure to adequately check quackery.

Child Witchcraft Branding

In Nigeria, child witchcraft branding has become a serious challenge for child protection professionals. This is a post-1986 development, not listed among the various forms of child abuse and neglect listed in Nigeria during the first conference on child abuse and neglect. The term child witchcraft branding refers to accusing children of witchcraft. The term witchcraft here refers to the use of negative manipulation to bring about bad luck or misfortune ( Charles, 2012 ).

Child Protection System

Section 207 of the Child Rights Act provides for a specialized unit of the Nigerian Police Force known as the Specialized Children Police Unit, for anyone who engages in the various forms of child abuse described previously.

The police officers in this unit should consist of officers who frequently or exclusively deal with children, or are primarily engaged in the prevention of child offences. This unit is also charged with the prevention and control of offences, the apprehension of child offenders, the investigation of child offences, and other functions as may be referred to the unit by this Act or by regulations made under the Act or by other enactments.

Family Court

Family courts are courts of law but they are planned and designed to suit children and their families. The family court constitutes two levels including the High Court (higher court) and Magistrate Court (lower court). They manage civil and criminal proceedings as they relate to children and their families. Civil proceedings such as liability, privilege, interest, obligation, or claim in respect of a child are handled by the court. Criminal proceedings involving or relating to any penalty, forfeiture, liability in respect to an offence committed by a child, against a child, or against the interest of a child are handled by the family court. The personnel of the family court includes the judges, court assessors, and child development officers who work at the ministry of women affairs and social development. This is the ministry that handles affairs of children through the child development department. The court is run in collaboration with the ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Women Affairs.

The Family Courts are structured based on the political arrangement of each state. For example, in Enugu State, the Family Courts are found in the three legislative constituencies. This is with a view to make the courts closer to the people.

Forms of Child Protection Programs and Policies: A Historical Overview

From 1981 onwards, the federal, state, and local governments collaborated to address health issues which relate to rural water and sanitation projects. In the 1983–1985 program, a local government area-based project in health education, and water and sanitation was introduced in addition to programs on nutrition, curriculum development, the training of traditional birth attendants and extension workers, and assistance to daycare centers. In general, the program covered communication, support, social, and community development. By the end of that program four main elements depicted its focus: EPI (Expanded Program on Immunization), ORT (Oral Rehydration and Therapy), WATSAN (water and sanitation), and social mobilization. Social mobilization is the process of carrying along society members to address programs in the community. During this period maternal and infant mortality were very high and the concentration was mainly on health, immunization, control of diarrhea, and supply of clean water. By then the social mobilization and rights-based programming had not been introduced ( FGN & UNICEF, 1997 , pp. 15–17).

More recently, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has largely influenced child protection policies and programs in Nigeria. This is because the HIV epidemic affects child survival at a direct and indirect level. For example, the sick family member requires resources and attention which diverts family resources away from the children. As such, the children of HIV positive parents experience trauma during the sickness and the death that may follow. This drop in family resources may lead to dropping out of school or diminished household resources due to job loss, healthcare, and nutritional status (Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, 2007). This puts a lot of burden on the families and the communities to care for these children ( Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey [NDHS], 2008 ).

National Guidelines to and Practice on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (2014)

In response to the HIV epidemic in Nigeria and its concomitant impact on the lives of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), Nigeria developed the National Guidelines to and Practice on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, 2007). The guidelines have the following objectives:

Provide guidance for the development and implementation of interventions for the care, support and protection of orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria.

Provide minimum standards in quality of services and activities related to all areas of care, support, and protection of orphans and vulnerable children that are socially and culturally acceptable, in accordance with the Federal Government of Nigeria policies, international instruments, and internationally accepted best practices.

Provide a clear understanding of the guiding principles, and define roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders.

Enhance collaboration and strategic partnership among stakeholders through effective referral and coordination.

The latest version of the guideline is the National Standard for Improving the Quality of Life of Vulnerable Children in Nigeria. The main contribution of the new service standard is the introduction of the “improvement science methodology.” This is the application of science-based systems oriented toward inputs, processes, outcomes, and evidence-based approaches to reach desired results ( Ogazi & Stover, 2014 ). Another important aspect is the involvement of community members in the process of caring for OVC. This service standard also lists the basic services that should be provided for OVC including protection, education and training, nutrition, shelter and care, household economic strengthening, health, and psychosocial support. The approach is to provide for the needs of children through mobilizing community resources.

The process of enrolling children and communities with these OVC programs is usually based on individuals infected or affected by HIV and AIDS or communities affected by HIV and AIDS. This invariably applies to communities with a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The process of enrolment of each child in the program is household focused. A household vulnerability assessment is made. This questionnaire assesses the needs of the child within a household context. Furthermore, for each child a care plan is made to care for the needs of the specific child in the household. Subsequent assessment is made to compare the impact of the program on the child and the entire household.

Alternative Care for Children in Nigeria

The report by UNICEF (2005) indicates that the adoption process in Nigeria is not uniform. A child usually comes into institutional care if they are abandoned at street corners, hospitals or maternity homes. Some of them are brought to the social welfare unit by non-governmental organizations (NGOs); these children are taken to orphanages run by government, NGOs, or faith-based organizations. The UNICEF 2005 report showed that poor equipment and staffing prevent adequate rehabilitation of children with disabilities who are in some of the centers. Poor funding, inadequate facilities, lack of specialized staff, inadequate number of germane objectives for establishment of the centers are reasons why the institutional childcare centers are functioning poorly.

The institutional childcare centers also do not have clear and standard procedures of operation. The core things missing include minimum facilities, adequately qualified caregivers (staff), adequate nutrition (feeding), and education such as a personalized development plan for each child. The institutional childcare centers are supposed to be transitory half-way homes for the children, but the reality is that they are home for many of the children who are there.

Sustainability of the private run centers is a major issue because they lack a strong internal governance structure to keep the center running in the absence of the original founder. For the government funded institutions the problem of adequate funding is the concern. Both the government run and private institutions also lack the ability to manage critically the database of the children they handle. This is characterized by poor information flow and information management.

National Policy on Education

Nigeria’s education policy is focused on improving access to education and ensuring that education is a vehicle for a free and democratic society, a just and egalitarian society, a united strong and self-reliant nation, and a great and dynamic economy. The policy addresses issues that impede educational development of children and adults from primary to secondary schools. However, lack of political will, poor leadership, poor planning, and corruption are some of the major impediments towards full realization of the policy’s expected results ( Okoroma, 2006 ).

National Policy on Child Labor (2013)

The national policy on child labor was based on the wide prevalence of child labor in Nigeria. The policy is designed to 1) work for the establishment of a national program on child labor; 2) harmonize child labor projects and interventions in the country; 3) provide evidence-based and sustained implementation of programs and projects for the prevention and elimination of child labor; 4) advocate for government commitment and stakeholders’ active involvement in initiatives to eliminate child labor; and 5) coordinate and manage information on child labor.

National Policy on Protection and Assistance to Trafficked Persons in Nigeria (2011)

This policy takes into consideration the issue of trafficking in persons in Nigeria. It was designed to provide protection for mainly domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation. It also takes on the gender lens of understanding that each gender is vulnerable to specific kinds of trafficking. For example, boys are trafficked primarily for forced labor in street vending, agriculture, mining stone, quarries, and as domestic servants. Young girls are induced to get pregnant in order to produce babies that can be sold. They are also involved in sexual related exploitation such as prostitution or domestic labor. The policy also puts into consideration that people in general are trafficked for other things such as organ harvesting.

The policy also focuses on protection and support for trafficked victims including children. It provides a guide for using a mix of intervention for responding to the challenge of trafficking in persons, and other components including prevention, prosecution, and partnership. These interventions are embedded in the principles of redress, recovery, and reintegration. An important aspect of the policy is the social planning model hinged on empowerment of the victims of human trafficking and meeting their needs. The policy was based on the Nigerian Constitution and Millennium Development Goals, especially the areas of child health and gender inequality.

Child Protection Program for Children in Emergency

In Nigeria, children have been affected by the Boko Haram terrorist attacks. It is estimated that in the last six years 20,000 people have died and over 2.2 million have been internally displaced; this consists mainly of children and women ( Plan International, 2018 ). The terrorist attacks have been centralized in the northeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The northeast consists of six states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe). These terrorist attacks have affected the education of children, nutritional status of children, psychosocial well-being, and the socioeconomic well-being of families, among others. Multiple organizations are providing support to victims, families, and communities affected by the attacks. These programs focus on preventing exploitation, preventing violent conflict, avoiding separation of children from their families, recognizing diversity, responding to emergencies, coordination and community mobilization, child participation and communication, and contingency planning ( Save the Children, 2005 ).

Evaluation of Existing Child Protection Policies in Nigeria

These policies are very important because they address critical child protection needs in various settings such as child labor, trafficking, education, violence, HIV/AIDS, emergency relief, and others. However, they have faced two major problems, including poor implementation primarily because of poor funding and poor coordination of programs, policies, and institutions (government and non-governmental resources). Most of these programs and policies are implemented independently of each other. Efforts to provide a coordinated response system to build cohesion among stakeholders are weak and have lacked strategic focus over the years. This makes it difficult to know where the resources to protect children are and who is doing what, where, when, and how. There are national organizations set up to provide this necessary coordination, but they are institutionally weak and have been unable to provide it. However, such programs as the National Joint Taskforce for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, Violence and Neglect is an effort in this direction. From 2015 to 2018 the African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) Nigeria chapter implemented a pilot program in the southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria with a view to provide a draft child abuse response system for Nigeria. ANPPCAN facilitated the formation of a joint task force (JTF). Its members are made up of critical stakeholders with responsibility for preventing child sexual abuse, violence, and neglect of children in Nigeria. The JTF is chaired by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (FMWASD). Its members include government agencies such as the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), FMWASD, National Human Rights Commission, Legal Aid Council, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health, National Emergency Management Agency, National News Agency of Nigeria, National Orientation Agency, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Civil Defense, Federal Ministry of Information, Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigerian Law Reform Commission, Public Complaint Commission, African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse & Neglect (ANPPCAN) Nigeria chapter, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Muslim Sisters Association, Child Protection Network (CPN), Widows and Orphans Empowerment Organization (WEWE), and National Council of Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria (NACCRAN). So far, the ANPPCAN Nigeria chapter has co-facilitated three planning meetings for the JTF. The outcomes of the meetings include terms of reference for the taskforce, inauguration of the taskforce in 2014, and an implementation plan.

In 2015, ANPPCAN Nigeria started the pilot southeast child sexual abuse monitoring and response center with the following specific objectives: 1) to mobilize a joint response to child sexual abuse, violence and neglect by strengthening this newly formed JTF to set up a pilot monitoring center in southeast Nigeria; 2) to set up an information sharing mechanism within the JTF to support joint activities between civil society organization networks and public institutions to coordinate responses, incident reports, and enforcement of punitive action against offenders; and 3) to increase awareness and knowledge of the JTF in other geopolitical zones on how to replicate monitoring centers to jointly respond to child sexual abuse, violence and neglect in their zones to achieve a multiplier effect across Nigeria.

The center used a proactive and reactive approach to responding to cases of violence against children. Using the proactive approach, field officers in the monitoring center developed a surveillance system in which they visit hospitals (maternal and child health, paediatric, and accident and emergency clinics), markets, and schools where child abuse or violence against children can be reported or observed, to collect data on the nature and form of abuse reported and what action was taken by the authorities. The reactive method used by the monitoring center involved the centre responding to cases of child sexual abuse, violence, and neglect that were directly reported at the center.

The rationale of the center was that child sexual abuse usually occurs in hiding and many children—especially females—who face abuse may be scared to report because of stigmatization. Also, ignorance about what to do after child sexual abuse, violence, or neglect of a child is common.

Using the proactive method the center deployed field officers who visited various schools, hospitals, and religious institutions like churches to know how they report various forms of violence against children that are reported to their institutions.

Table 41.1 describes the forms of child abuse recorded and the kinds of interventions that the various institutions provide.

Table 41.2 indicates the number of cases reported in the pilot states within Nigeria. Given the large number of children in Nigeria, and the widespread phenomenon of child abuse, these numbers suggest that child maltreatment was only infrequently reported to public authorities.

The child protection system in Nigeria has improved from what it used to be in the 1980s. However, there is still need for a lot of improvement, especially in the area of coordinating institutions and resources available in the sector to ensure that information is shared and resources are properly managed to improve child protection.

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(Research Proposal) The consequences of child abuse in Nigeria: A case study of Niger-Delta Region in Nigeria

2013, Articlesbase

The aim of this study is to use grounded theory methods to develop a theory about how children are been abused and the consequences of these abuse in Nigeria with specific reference to Niger Delta region. The theory generated is intended to derive a general, abstract process of the nature, types, causes and consequences of child abuse in Nigeria in the view of participants in the study. The process will involve using multiple stages of data collection and the refinement and interrelationship of categories of information

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This article examines the link between child abuse and security challenges in Nigeria. General strain theory and social bond theory were, adopted as the theoretical frame of the study. While the former explains how blocked opportunities among the lower class youths lead to delinquency, and consequently, to insecurity in the society, the latter explains how weakened bond to conventional social institutions reduces social control of young persons, and subsequently, leading to insecurity in the society. Thus, abuse of children will have a long-term effect and elicit deprivation that can later be, expressed through delinquency or crime. The article principally relied on secondary data. The article concludes that child abuse has many social and psychological consequences and they are associated to security challenges in Nigeria. As differently indicated by the data cited in this article, most of the city hooligans, members of urban gangs, Boko Haram and other forms of criminal gangs are ...

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his study examined the effect of child sexual abuse on children in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. Relevant literatures that deal on child sexual abuse were reviewed. Three research questions guided the study. Survey and semi-structured interview were the research design employed. Sample size for the study was 200 sexually abused children drawn from the ages between 0 - 17 years from Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa was selected as the site of the research as a result of the recent high prevalence of girl-child sexual abuse in the selected location. Research findings showed that 92 (46.0%) of the respondents agreed that bad parenting played a major factor responsible for child sexual abuse in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, that 94 (47.0%) believed vaginal bleeding to be one of the consequences. The study also revealed that 104 (52.0%) of the respondents agreed that sexual abuse can be prevented thro...

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The paper examined the concept of child abuse and its level of prevalence in Nigeria as well as accentuating the different prevalent forms of it. The paper also examined the causes of child abuse in Nigeria, subtypes and the effects these have on the Nigerian child. Suggestions were made on the way forward.

Research on Humanities and Social Sciences

Izuchukwu Ndukaihe

Oluwaferanmi Adebayo

Folorunsho Nuhu

IOSR Journals publish within 3 days

Abstract: Child abuse is a social phenomenon which erodes the fundamental human rights of the child. Within the context of this study, child abuse is perceived as any act of omission or commission by individuals, institution or society as a whole and any conditions resulting from such acts or inactions, which deprive children of equal rights and liberties and or interrupt with their optimal development. Following the definition, it could be deciphered that child abuse takes various forms and it is committed by parents, guardians, care-takers and so on. However, child abuse affects the child’s physiological and psychological well being as well as his adjustments to his cultural and social environment. Meanwhile, following the devise of Soviet Union, the World has assumed increasingly the character of a global village and the issue of child abuse has gained universal attention. Nevertheless, this study set out to study, understands and explains the implications of child abuse on the education of the primary school child in Nigeria. The target population of this study comprises all the victims and perpetrators of child abuse in Enugu North Local Government Area. Specifically spirited efforts will be made to examine all the cases of child abuse among primary school pupils in Enugu North. This includes parents and teachers of the children. This study shall dwell essentially on the incidence and effects of child abuse on pupils in primary schools located within the study area. Enugu North Local Government has over fifteen (15) primary schools with a population of well over twenty thousand pupils (20,000). The researcher shall examine those cases of child abuse that are recorded in Magistrate Court, Local Government offices with particular reference to Social welfare services, African Network for Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), and hospitals situated within the study area. Conscientious efforts were made to x-ray how child abuse affects the educational development of pupils in the selected schools. The researcher examined cases of child abuse that are recorded in Magistrate Court, Local Government offices with particular reference to Social welfare services, African Network for Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), and hospitals situated within the study area. Conscientious efforts were made to x-ray how child abuse affects the educational development of pupils in the selected schools. Keywords: Child Abuse, Education, Primary Schools, Pupils, Educational Development

Johnson B A B A F E M I Akintayo

Antonio Reyes

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Expository Essay On Drug Abuse In Nigeria 450 Words

In the vibrant tapestry of Nigeria, a troubling thread weaves its way through the lives of countless individuals, casting a shadow over families, communities, and the nation itself. This thread is the menace of drug abuse, a complex issue that affects people of diverse backgrounds and ages. In this expository essay, we shall delve into the layers of this problem, exploring its causes, effects, and the measures that can be taken to combat it.

Table of Contents

Essay:  Unmasking the Shadows – Understanding Drug Abuse in Nigeria

Drug abuse, a deeply rooted concern in Nigeria, has ensnared the minds of many, including students who should be shaping the future. From the allure of cocaine to the grip of heroin and the haze of hash, the usage of these substances is far from uncommon[1]. The ripples of this problem extend far beyond the individual user, impacting families, communities, and the broader fabric of society.

The intertwining of drug abuse with criminal activities casts a dark cloud over Nigeria. Often, addiction and drug usage become entangled with a web of criminal behavior, including prostitution and sexual exploitation, resulting in vulnerable individuals being preyed upon[2]. The vicious cycle leads to tragic outcomes, with users often falling victim to violence, abuse, and exploitation.

The toll of drug abuse on health is a stark reality. The human body bears the brunt of the choices made, as substance abuse paves the path to heart ailments, kidney malfunction, and irreversible damage to the brain[4]. The very essence of self-control is under siege due to altered brain functioning, perpetuating the cycle of addiction and further physical deterioration.

The devastation caused by drug abuse stretches beyond the individual to disrupt the harmony of families and communities, undermining the foundations of society itself. Relationships are strained, families fractured, and social fabric torn asunder. The burden placed on healthcare systems and law enforcement compounds the issue, diverting resources from pressing matters.

Nurturing a solution to the epidemic of drug abuse requires a multifaceted strategy. First and foremost, awareness campaigns are pivotal in illuminating the path towards a drug-free society. Through education, individuals can be enlightened about the dangers that lie within the grasp of addiction. Accessible and well-funded rehabilitation centers must be established to provide a lifeline to those ensnared by substance dependency. The gears of law enforcement should turn towards dismantling drug trafficking networks and curbing the influx of illicit substances.

In conclusion, the specter of drug abuse in Nigeria is a formidable adversary, impacting individuals, families, and the entire nation. As we stand at the crossroads of a healthier future, it is imperative to address this issue head-on through comprehensive education, robust rehabilitation, and vigilant law enforcement. By doing so, we unravel the shadows that drug abuse casts, nurturing a society that thrives on resilience, unity, and wellbeing.

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Expository Essay on Child Abuse Example

Essay Examples

Example of essay on child abuse. This is an expository essay that talks about the different abuses children suffer and their possible consequences.

Title of the essay: Child abuse as a multidimensional phenomenon

Type of essay: expository essay, length: 459 words, topic: child abuse.

Despite the great advances that we have experienced in the field of human rights , in today’s society, there are still innumerable cases of child abuse. This reality is quite unfortunate, and is part of all countries, regardless of their level of development, cultural or social. The child is a helpless being that is at the mercy of adults. He is innocent and ignores the world, and is exposed to all kinds of situations that threaten his physical and mental health.

Abuse is multidimensional, and for this reason, it can be somewhat complicated to establish a definition of its scope and consequences. Although in recent years it has been studied with greater emphasis, even now many variables about its triggers are unknown. In general terms, it includes all those non-accidental injuries that negatively affect the body or mind of the infant. The actions carried out by his perpetrators undermine the normal development of the child, affecting him physically, psychologically and emotionally.

It is worth mentioning that although the majority of cases occur within the family environment, their presence is also frequent in study centers or in other places where the child is supposed to be safe. This reveals the importance of knowing in-depth the people who will come into contact with the little ones, especially when dealing with situations where it is difficult to keep track of everything that happens.

Child abuse does not only involve violence, as it may be abandonment caused by the negligence of parents or guardians. Here are children who are not able to meet their basic needs, such as food, clothing, health and safety. Likewise, the impediment to education has proven to be one of the most serious problems and may lead to labor exploitation. In this way, they are forced to work in the streets without the possibility of receiving the necessary teaching for their development.

People who incur these abuses have usually been victims of them in their childhood, creating a cycle that apparently has no end. However, it is also possible that parents or guardians have a low level of schooling, limiting their economic possibilities and expressing their frustrations in children. In the worst case, the abuse will have an origin in pathologies or mental disorders, and will even be linked to the consumption of alcohol and other addictive substances.

All this makes it necessary to carry out awareness campaigns on the subject, as well as efficient programs to protect the little ones. Each government is obliged to create helplines and institutions that can prevent child abuse because if it is not stopped in time, it is very possible that fatal outcomes occur.

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