An assessment of factors promoting violation of child Rights in Ndhiwa division, Homa bay county, Kenya

ABSTRACT [he notion of children as rights-bearers emerged in response to the vulnerability of children seen so starkly during the First World War. "Children have a set of human rights specific to them because the general thrust behind national and international action on behalf of the children is the moral and legal ecognition of their emotional, physical, psychological vulnerability their need for special care and recognition of the obligation to respect for their rights including having their views respected." Child rights violation has become a common phenomenon in Ndhiwa Division, Homa Bay County. The major concerns are factors that are related to child rights violation such as socio-economic and cultural factors that bedevil the community in the study area. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess factors that promote violation of children's rights in Ndhiwa Division, Homa Bay County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were; to identify forms of child rights violation in Ndhiwa Division, identify socio-economic factors that promote violation of existing rights of the child, establish the cultural factors promoting violation of child rights in Ndhiwa Division. This study was based on Urie Bronfenbrenner's Socio-Ecological theory (1977). Cross sectional survey was employed in this study. While the study population was 32958, the sample size drawn was 395 therefore sample population of study comprised 197 adults, 67 selected teachers, opinion leaders and government officials drawn from the Children's Office, Judiciary, Police and provincial administration, and 131 primary school pupils. The study employed simple random and judgmental sampling to generate the samples. Household questionnaire was used to obtain data from adults while key informant interview was used on government officials. In addition, 6 focused group discussions were used to collect data from pupils and selected adults. Quantitative data collected through closed ended items in the questionnaires and documents was analyzed using descriptive statistics in forms of percentages, frequencies, counts and means. Qualitative data obtained using open ended items in the interviews and focused group discussion was analyzed on an ongoing process as themes and sub-themes emerge from data. The research findings revealed that socioeconomic and cultural factors promote violation of child rights in Ndhiwa Division, Homa Bay County. Child rights violation is rampant in the area and calls for combined efforts from both the government and stakeholders to address. The findings of this study therefore can be used by policy makers to improve on existing child legal protection laws and policies.