Executive Summary
This participatory baseline is part of a multi-country study commissioned by Save the Children targeting selected areas of Rwanda, Ethiopia and North-Sudan. The purpose of the multi-country study is to address the UN Study on Violence Against Children’s recommendations and assess the role of communities in ensuring that children are protected from violence and abuse at all levels.
The Rwanda study was conducted from March 29th to April 30th 2010 in 6 Sectors (Rubaya, Byumba, Mutete, Mageragere, Nyamirambo, Kacyiru) in 3 Districts of Rwanda (Gicumbi, Nyrugenge and Gasabo) ensuring that a good representation of urban/semi-urban and rural areas was included. A total of 127 children participated in the study representing a broad range of backgrounds in terms of gender (58 females and 69 males), age (children from 5 to 18 years old), school-going and out of school, 7 children with disabilities, 8 children head of households and 20 children from an historically marginalized group in Rwanda.
The objective of the study was to assess the strengths and gaps in existing child protection systems at community level based on the views of children in selected areas of Rwanda with 3 major key themes to be explored: 1) Extent & perception of protection issues; civil society and legislation that protects children; 2) Extent and perception of children’s participation; 3) Extent and impact of discrimination against children.
It is to be noted that due to the limited sample of children and geographical locations targeted, the findings of the study cannot be generalized and exemplificative of the whole country.
The most common child protection issues reported by targeted children are the following: corporal punishment including verbal abuse, followed by child labour, economic violence, sexual violence and, last but not least, denial of the right to play.
Nearly 50% of targeted children reported corporal punishment as the most common abuse they face, with girls below 12 who live in rural areas being the most affected. Most of the times corporal and humiliating punishment is also accompanied by insulting. According to children, parents, care-givers (step-parents, fosterparents, grandparents) and teachers, are the major perpetrators of corporal punishment, often used as a mean to educate and discipline children, and sometimes used for no specific reason. The majority of children (48%) highlighted that children should refer this abuse to the local leader and the police so that they can sensitize and/or punish the perpetrators. Despite the fact that most of the children named the persons they would refer to when they face this type of abuse, they did not admit whether they had actually found themselves in the situation of reporting the case and therefore they could not assess whether the support they received was of good quality.
The second most common child protection issue reported by 40% of targeted children is child labour. Children are often exposed to forced labour, especially boys above 12 living in rural areas. In this case as well, the majority of targeted children (60%) reported the local leader as the focal person whom they can refer to, he/she can overcome the problem peacefully or punishing the perpetrators. Child-focus Organizations and child-led groups are also reported as structures to refer and receive support from, especially from those children who are actively involved in the children groups. According to the targeted children, child-led groups have the capacity to mediate between the parties with sensitization activities and, if necessary, by addressing the case to the local leader.
The third child protection issue reported by 31% of targeted children is economic violence, meaning the lack of access to basic services such as school, medical care, shelter, clothing and food. Boys above 12 living in rural areas seems to be more affected by this child protection issue and they reported that the reason of these abuses could be due to poverty but sometimes also to denial. Parents and foster-parents are the persons most identified by children as perpetrators of this child protection issue. Local leaders and Civil Society Organizations are seen to be the main structures whom to refer and ask for direct support, although most of the children reported that they have not been targeted by such organizations so far. According to children, local leaders instead, can play a role in order to sensitize their parents to fulfil their obligations towards their children.
The fourth protection issue most reported by targeted children, especially girls above 12 living in urban area, is sexual violence. Nearly 20% of children reported the issue of sexual violence as one of the most common abuses that they face in their communities. The most reported perpetrators are sugar daddies and sugar mammies1 and also in this case the majority of children (73%) would refer to local leaders and/or police in order to punish the perpetrators and prevent the abuse from happening again. In this case as well, targeted children have not reported details about procedures they have to follow when referring the case to local leader or police. Children would also refer these cases to their parents, in particular mothers (unless parents themselves are the perpetrators), who can facilitate the reporting process to formal structures. Few children, in particular girls above 12 living in urban area, also reported the health centre and medical doctors as structures to be referred to when a child has experienced such abuse. Health care support is considered important to prevent the potential health consequences children could face when they have been exposed to a sexual violence.
A fifth child protection issue, raised by 8% of children, in particular boys above 12 living in urban area, is the denial of their right to play with their friends.
45% of targeted children reported that they do not know any law/policies in place to protect children from violence in Rwanda; some of them reported that they believe some polices exist in the country, although they are not aware. 40% of children instead, reported that they are aware of some laws/policies in place, despite the fact that they were not able to report the name and the details of the laws.
Most of targeted children reported they would like to be part in the development of laws and play a role in administration structures that protect children in Rwanda and they shared some ideas on how to reinforce existing laws/policies and develop new ones. Most of targeted children (56%) reported knowledge of a child-led group in their community. In general, children above 12 years, excluding the children belonging to the historically marginalized group, are the ones more knowledgeable of the existence of child-led groups in their community.
53% of targeted children reported that they have participated, at least once in their life, in a community or national events and/or consultations on child protection. In particular, the event most reported by children was the day of African Child. In this case as well, only few of the children belonging to the historically marginalized group reported their participation in an event or consultation on child protection.
The majority of children (80%) from all targeted areas reported the knowledge of civil society organizations working on child protection in their areas and although they are not aware about the child protection issues that the organizations cover, they have a broad idea on the types of interventions these organizations are implementing in their communities. In general, the oldest groups are slightly more informed than the youngest groups on this regard.
The majority of the children (95%), when asked to assess the impact of discrimination against children in their communities, reported that there are specific groups of children who suffer discrimination more than others. In particular, children head of households reported they feel discriminated due to their life condition and excluded from any type of support. Children with disabilities and very poor children are also among the most excluded.
The study concludes with some highlights from children’s recommendations on how to improve prevention and protection structures and mechanisms in their communities and possible interventions that Child-focus Civil Society Organizations, UN agencies, donors and Governmental officials can implement upon children’s recommendations by expanding existing programmes and initiating new ones in order to address children’s concerns and make their communities a safer place.
