More than four in 10 say child abuse and neglect are common in their community.
Key findings
- Almost two-thirds (63%) of Sudanese say parents are "sometimes" or "always" justified in using physical force to discipline their children. o The use of physical discipline receives the strongest support among citizens without formal education (76%), the poor (73%), the middle-aged (68%-72%), men (66%), and rural residents (66%).
- Half (50%) of respondents say the use of physical force to discipline children is "somewhat frequent" or "very frequent" in their community.
- More than a half (54%) of Sudanese say child abuse and neglect are infrequent in their community, but 45% disagree. o Almost six in 10 (56%) report that school-age children are frequently out of school.
- Two-thirds of Sudanese say resources are available in their community to help abused and neglected children (66%), children with disabilities (66%), and children and adults with mental or emotional problems (66%).
- More than eight in 10 citizens (82%) say the government is doing "very badly" or "fairly badly" at promoting the well-being of vulnerable children.
Wracked by civil war and economic hardship, Sudan has more internally displaced persons than any other country in the world, including about 5 million children (UNICEF, 2023).
The Sudanese government is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and has worked with international donors and nonprofit organisations to build stronger child-protection systems (UNICEF, 2016; Save the Children, 2024; Guardian, 2024). But while a legal framework, including the Federal Child Act (2010), aims to safeguard children's rights, enormous gaps in implementation and enforcement leave millions of children without access to essential services and vulnerable to harm (Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development, 2017; World Bank, 2024).
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Armed conflict, displacement, and persistent poverty result in a cascade of ill effects on children's well-being, from malnutrition and disruptions to education and health care to heightened risk of violence, abuse, and exploitation (SOS Children's Villages, 2023). Although reliable data are scarce, reports indicate that 64% of Sudanese children under age 14 experience some form of violence (UNICEF, 2019). Sexual violence is particularly prevalent in situations of conflict and displacement (Human Rights Watch, 2024), and female genital mutilation and child marriage also remain common threats to girls' well-being (Girls Not Brides, 2021).
This dispatch reports on a special survey module included in the Afrobarometer Round 9 (2022) questionnaire to explore Africans' attitudes and perceptions related to child welfare.
In Sudan, survey findings show that a majority of citizens endorse the use of physical force to discipline children, though opinions are divided on how common this practice is.
Almost half of respondents say that child abuse and neglect are frequent occurrences in their community, and a majority share the same assessment regarding out-of-school children.
Most Sudanese report that their communities have resources to support vulnerable children, including those who are abused or neglected, have disabilities, or face mental health challenges. Even so, an overwhelming majority say the government is performing poorly on promoting the well-being of vulnerable children.
Caroline Nakayiza Caroline Nakayiza is a sampling assistant at Hatchile Consult Ltd.
Ategeka J. Kamara Ategeka J. Kamara is a research associate for Hatchile Consult Ltd.
