Children's rights and the cultural nexus in the African context: abuses and policy implications

Despite improvements in the awareness and observance of children's rights as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, most parts of Africa have lagged far behind. There continues to be disproportionate maltreatment and lack of protection of children's rights compared to other regions in the world. This chapter explored childhood perceptions and experiences of their rights. The study explored several types of maltreatment encountered by children and the associated risk factors. Findings indicate notable recurrences of maltreatment among children and youth. These types of maltreatment included excessive child labour and exploitation, discrimination by family members, sexual and physical abuse, and voicelessness. The main associated risk factors were traditional paternalistic perceptions of childhood, poverty, living with non-biological caregivers, alcoholism, and substance abuse. The findings indicate a great need for awareness, prevention, and intervention initiatives aimed at curbing child abuse and neglect of children within communities.