By Atieno Olang
Economic changes through the cash economy over the years have eroded the family structure, Parents and guardians are constantly up in arms struggling to get resources to Feed, educate children, cater for their health insurance and many other basic amenities. The African Social Fabric has been degraded to an extent where violence has been normalized even at the household level. Statistics prove that Children who have grown up witnessing domestic abuse are most likely to perpetuate violence in their adulthood. As of 2020, According to a UNICEF report, around one in two young adults in Kenya experienced violence as a child whilst the 2019 violence against children survey affirmed that 46% of young women 18-24 years have experienced either physical or sexual violence in their childhood. 52% are young men who have experienced the same. These figures from 3 years ago have not reduced due to the exacerbated surge of violence as a result of the 2020/2021 covid19 Pandemic.
Abusive households have resulted to children indulging in drugs and substance abuse, has rendered some homeless, has molded our children into criminals and denied them dignified living. With the normalized violence in household we have seen adolescents and children are frequently forced into sexual experiences with adults by circumstances beyond their control. They are coerced, tricked or abducted often while fleeing situations of violent conflict. In very sickening situations, girls have abandoned school to practice sex work at the tender ages of 14yrs to 16yrs because their parents constantly fight and have neglected to fend for themselves.
Mental health wellbeing of children is abundantly affected by the kind of environment that they are in, children from very violent backgrounds have dented personalities and can barely relate with their counterparts from non- violent spaces. They are constantly over the edge, easily irritated and highly volatile exposing them to even greater risks. Prioritization of psychosocial support for these constituents will not only equip them with coping mechanism but also bring them hope that life is not all about constant agitation and restlessness that they can freely play like their agemates and enjoy childhood without having to worry whether they won’t eat a meal a night because mother has been beaten to a pulp by father and cannot cook.
In accordance with the African Charter on Rights and welfare of the child, the child is as important and unique members of African society who require a happy, loving and understanding home that helps them develop their minds, bodies, and become themselves. We need to ensure that children remain protected by teaching them their rights and amplifying their voices through building and investing in their agency and body autonomy. As such we mirror our old traditional education set ups where within age sets /age groups grand parents would teach their grandchildren life lessons. Governments must provide comprehensive social protection to vulnerable children i.e. Orphans and street children. Perpetrators of violence against children must be brought to book and should face the law.
To provide a safe haven for children, we must dismantle the system that creates inequalities which lead to discrimination and violence. This can be attained if we purpose to have a community of practice which upholds principles of UBUNTU. A community that questions injustices by the state and other country citizens. Children must be nurtured in violent free communities in order to sustain evolution of societies.
Atieno Olang is a Gender and Social Inclusion Expert, A pan African-Feminist and a contributor for Network for Adolescents and Youth of Africa ( NAYA-Kenya)
