COVID-19 restrictions have led to an increased risk of child abuse in Kenya, according to a new report
Kenyan children face a greater threat of abuse under pandemic restrictions, Re:Structure Lab publishes key requirements for human rights due diligence legislation, and Freedom Network USA launches a toolkit for survivors starting work as changemakers.
Children in Kenya have become more vulnerable to child abuse since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study by the African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN). Sexual abuse (79 per cent of parents and caregivers said they were aware of such cases), child neglect (65 per cent) and physical assault (61 per cent) were considered the most common violations, while child labour, forced marriage and female genital mutilation were also reported as emerging forms of abuse. The research focuses on four counties in which the organization runs child protection programmes: Busia, Kajiado (Loitokitok sub-county), Marsabit and Nairobi.
The most visible impact of the pandemic on children is that, since March 2020, loss of income, or the loss or ill health of their caregivers, has forced many to beg for food or take hazardous jobs to support their families; in some cases, family members have gone in search of food, leaving children alone, unprotected and exposed to violence, abuse and exploitation.
Engagement with partners and other stakeholders during the research period, including teachers and children, allowed investigators to identify many other emerging forms of child abuse facilitated by school closures. One significant impact in all the study regions was the increased number of children engaged in child labour, which often leads to a child dropping out of school altogether. Overall, the study established that 58 per cent of the children interviewed across the study sites are currently engaged in work, 60 per cent of whom are boys and 57 per cent girls. The types of labour they carry out include construction, sand harvesting, selling charcoal, casual work, boda boda (driving motorcycle taxis), herding animals and hawking, for children aged 14 years old and above.
In addition, some families have been forced to marry off their younger daughters to wealthier families to help relieve financial pressures at home, exposing them to sexual abuse and early pregnancy. Media reports have also indicated a spike in teenage pregnancies following the outbreak of COVID-19, following reported abuse by older men and family members. Furthermore, according to research participants, female genital mutilation is being carried out secretly in homes, enabled by the closure of schools.
Children who are using technology for virtual learning at home are also at high risk of being exposed to online abuse. Stakeholders have expressed concern about the rise of cyber-bullying and other attacks via the internet, especially over video conferencing platforms which attackers can infiltrate in order to expose young people to pornographic content. The virtual platforms that children are using for learning purposes also carry a risk of online abuse.
These issues are exacerbated by a reduction in the operations of child protection agencies, e.g. the police, the Department of Children Services and the courts, due to COVID-19 restrictions – the report suggests that matters relating to children are handled at a slow pace and are not prioritized. The limits imposed on social gatherings mean that actors in the children’s sector cannot meet and deliberate on the status, welfare and immediate needs of children.
ANPPCAN Regional Office has been implementing child protection programmes in Kenya’s Busia, Loitokitok, Marsabit, Homa Bay and Nairobi counties for more than two decades, using a variety of approaches. However, these areas now comprise the top-five hotspots for COVID-19 in Kenya, which means that the risk of child abuse may become even more severe. Following the study, ANPPCAN aims to expand its programs to provide direct income support to vulnerable households and work with key local actors in the targeted regions, including government ministries, to prevent violence and abuse and better protect vulnerable children.
Here’s a round-up of other noteworthy news and initiatives:
If you haven’t already done so, please participate in our survey on client-centered case management to support our research; we are looking at how services can be best tailored to address the individual needs and vulnerabilities of victims or potential victims of trafficking and exploitation.
Last week, the European Commission presented its new Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021-2025), focusing on preventing the crime, breaking criminal business models and protecting and empowering victims. The strategy is closely linked to the EU Strategy to Tackle Organised Crime, also presented on the same day.
Representing Stanford University, the University of Sheffield, and Yale University, the newly launched Re:Structure Lab has published its first in a series of Forced Labour Evidence Briefs. The first brief sets out the key requirements for strong and effective human rights due diligence legislation and looks at how governments can use it as a key tool, accompanied by broader legal reforms, to spur wide-ranging changes to business practices along end-to-end supply chains.
Freedom Network USA has collaborated with the Survivor Alliance and the International Institute of Buffalo to create a toolkit for survivors who are starting their journey as changemakers in the anti-trafficking field. The toolkit includes a short video series and a workbook that survivors can complete alone or with a trusted support person.
China has stepped up plans to launch its own version of the Better Cotton Initiative after the network cut all ties with Xinjiang due to concerns about alleged forced labour in the region.
International Justice Mission has released a compilation of case studies that demonstrate the global aspect of the supply and demand nature of the online sexual abuse of children.
This opinion piece discusses the situation of street-based sex workers in the UK during lockdown and the lack of government assistance, suggesting that, instead of making sex workers’ lives harder through increased legislation, the government should be helping them in direct and material ways.
A new episode of the Peace for Asia Podcast discusses how many portrayals of trafficking in the media are problematic because they are not accurate depictions of human trafficking, or because they revictimize trafficking victims.
On 28 April, join ECPAT International for the launch of its new research on boys and SOGIE youth engaged in their own sexual exploitation by selling sex in Thailand. During the event, the team will share what they have learned from speaking with young people and service providers across Thailand.
Plan International USA is looking for a consultant to work on the mapping of labour supply chains in international waters and municipal fishing fleets, with a focus on the Philippines.
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