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Responding to child sexual abuse in the United States and Kenya: Child protection and children's rights
- Authors:
- MILDRED Jane, PLUMMER Carol A.
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 31(6), June 2009, pp.601-608.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Child welfare policies and practices vary widely across nations, but most comparative studies have focused on differences between North American and European countries in how they address the abuse and exploitation of children. Using a comparative case-study approach to examine differences and similarities in how the United States and Kenya have responded to the sexual abuse of children, this article illustrates why it is important to examine and compare child welfare policies and practices in a wider range of countries. The dominant strategy for addressing child sexual abuse in the United States is the formal child protection system, while Kenya focuses more on locally-based efforts for empowering children and communities to resist and interrupt exploitation and abuse. Since both approaches have strengths and weaknesses, there is a great deal that the two countries could learn from and teach each other. The authors suggest that it is important to acknowledge children's strengths, agency, and rights, as well as their vulnerabilities, and conclude that responses to child sexual abuse and other types of maltreatment may be strengthened by a clearer understanding of how history, culture, politics, and economics influence the development and effectiveness of child protective policies and practices.
A discussion of perceptions of community facilitators from Swaziland, Kenya, Mozambique and Ghana: cultural practices and child protection
- Authors:
- MUROVE Tapfuma, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 5(Supplement 1), June 2010, pp.55-62.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article highlights the importance of knowing some of the cultural practices that encourage child abuse or hinder effective implementation of community-based child protection responses. Data were collected from 287 community development facilitators from Swaziland, Ghana, Mozambique, and Kenya using open-ended qualitative interviews in which they were asked about harmful cultural practices which they thought had negative impacts on their child protection work in respective communities. The range of interviewees varied from home visitors, development workers, faith-based organisation employees, HIV-AIDS facilitators to child monitors and peer educators. Four general types of cultural practices were identified by interviewees as posing risks to children and challenges to child protection work: marriage practices, rites of passage or rituals, family secrets, and religious or spiritual practices. The authors conclude that an understanding of cultural practices is essential for the success of child protection responses in communities, especially with regard to child protection advocacy work that focuses upon harmful cultural practices. Community child protection interventions should deliberately target children who are especially vulnerable or isolated due to some harmful cultural practices. However, as cultural issues are sensitive, child protection interventions should commence by highlighting those positive aspects of people’s cultural practices, which can then become entry points for engaging with other practices that may be harmful to children. It is essential to train and empower community development facilitators so that they can engage cultural issues more effectively. Existing child protection interventions or responses need to be contextualised to various cultural environments of children.