Orphans and Vulnerable Children - CRIN

 A definition of child abuse: Broadly speaking, child abuse involves an adult harming a child.

Child abuse occurs when someone does something hurtful to a child or by someone not

doing something to provide for or to protect a child.

Child abuse is not new. For centuries children have been abused. In recent years, the

media has made us more aware of cases of child abuse. Studies in child development

have indicated that what happens in our childhood has a great impact on our adult lives.

Therefore, children should be viewed as people who have the right to be protected.

 Who abuses children? Child abusers include a wide range of people. They do not have

anything about them that makes them look different from anybody else. They can be

parents, grandparents, older brothers and sisters, uncles, aunties, neighbours, teachers,

leaders in organisations and churches, childcare workers and baby sitters. There are many

people who harm children, sometimes without even deliberately setting out to do so.

Whatever the reasons adults give for harming children, there is never any valid excuse for

abusing children. The abuse of children violates the rights of the child.

 Factors that contribute to

increased child abuse or

exploitation:

• Poverty


• Death of parents


• Lack of good parenting skills


• Marriage break-ups


• HIV/AIDS in families


• Alcohol or drug-induced violence


• Lack of social support networks


• Conflicts and wars.

Abuse of Children’s Rights: Forms, Causes and Consequences

In this activity, you will:

 Hold a discussion on the abuse of children’s rights with your group

Facilitator’s notes:

For this activity, you will need to have read all the backgound information on child abuse in order

to engage in a general discussion with the group. You will not read out all the background information

to them, but will need to understand it so as to explain the concepts to participants.

 The consequences of child abuse:

• Mental and emotional suffering


• Street children


• Children getting infected with
  HIV/AIDS


• Substance abuse


• Self-rejection


• Depression


• Poor performance at school


• Dropping out of school


• Suicidal tendencies


• Early marriages


• Low self-esteem in children


• Early parenting.

Activity 3

(^130) Unit 2, Module 1 Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children