Poor citizens are less likely to say help for vulnerable children is available in their community.
Key findings
- Nigeriens overwhelmingly see parents as justified in using physical force to discipline their children (85%). o Almost half (48%) say that adults in their community physically discipline their children "somewhat" or "very" frequently.
- More than four in 10 citizens (42%) say child abuse, mistreatment, and neglect are "somewhat frequent" or "very frequent" occurrences in their community, while 58% disagree. o A majority (55%) say school-age children are often not in school.
- Nigeriens are divided in their assessments of whether support for vulnerable children is available in their community. A majority (55%) say resources to help abused and neglected children are available, but fewer say the same with regard to children with disabilities (50%) and children and adults with mental or emotional problems (47%). o Perceptions of available support are significantly lower among poor respondents than among their better-off counterparts.
- About half (51%) of Nigeriens approve of the government's performance on protecting and promoting the well-being of vulnerable children.
Niger's Constitution promises to protect children, emphasising the state's role in safeguarding their physical, mental, and moral health. Despite this commitment, many children face harsh realities. Niger has the world's 11th-highest under-5 mortality rate, as preventable diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria flourish amid limited access to clean water, sanitation, and health care (UNICEF, 2021). Malnutrition affects 75% of children under 5.
Only 8% of children attend preschool, and most do not complete primary school. Girls face particular barriers, with 76% married before age 18 and only 31% enrolled in secondary school. Poverty affects nearly half of children, depriving them of essential services (UNICEF, 2021). More than four in 10 children aged 5-14 (43%) are engaged in child labour, including in some cases hereditary slavery and mining (Bureau of International Labor Affairs, 2022).
To address such shortcomings, the government, with help from partners such as UNICEF and the World Bank, has launched initiatives to strengthen child protection systems, including forming child protection committees and improving adolescent health services (World Bank, 2019; UNICEF, 2020). However, aligning national laws with international standards is challenging amid competing customary and religious laws, and limited resources are devoted to enforcing existing laws (UNICEF, 2020).
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This dispatch reports on a special survey module included in the Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021/2023) questionnaire to explore Africans' attitudes and perceptions related to child well-being. In Niger, survey findings show that citizens overwhelmingly endorse parents' use of physical force to discipline children, and almost half of respondents say the practice is common in their communities.
More than four in 10 citizens say child abuse, mistreatment, and neglect are common, and a majority say the same about out-of-school children.
Nigeriens are divided as to whether children who are abused or neglected, whohave a disability, or who have mental or emotional problems can find assistance and support in their communities. Only about half approve of the government's performance on protecting vulnerable children. Economically disadvantaged respondents offer more critical assessments on both counts.
Stephen Quansah Stephen Quansah is a PhD student in political science and a graduate research assistant at the Department of Political Science, University of Florida.
