Abstract:
Child abuse is a worldwide issue. To deal with the crisis, a number of policies, plans of action, and directives have been put into place. Implementing community-based child protection structures (CBCPS). is one of the strategies suggested to address violence against children. The structures dealing with protecting children from abuse have been riddled with existing laws are not being enforced effectively, and the various justice, law, and order, and childcare subsystems operate apart from one another. Consequently, child abuse has continued to exist within communities. This necessitated a study to evaluate the CBCPS. The objectives were to examine the forms and extent of child abuse, identify partnerships and structures dealing with violence against children, examine the influence of socio-cultural practices on implementing child protection programs, and investigate challenges Community-Based Child Protection Structures face. The systems theory was employed to explain the different variables of the study. The study utilised a cross-sectional survey design to collect qualitative and quantitative data. A sample size of 280 participants was selected using both purposive and random sampling techniques. Qualitative data were analysed and presented as narrations and verbatim, while quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive analysis, such as mode and frequencies, was employed to summarise the data, which was then presented using tables and figures. It was found that 81% of the respondents had witnessed child abuse, with the most common being child labour and the least being early childhood marriages. Most of the respondents had trust in the chiefs, as 67.9% would report there. This was followed by the police (40%), NGOs (38.8% and the clergy as well as the family at 11.8%. The study revealed that new measures have been implemented to prevent the detection and response to various child abuse cases. Additionally, socio-cultural practices were found to influence the implementation of Community-Based Child Protection Structures. Despite some challenges, the study concluded that these structures are functioning, albeit with room for improvement. Based on the study’s findings, it is recommended that the government strengthen existing policies to enhance child protection efforts. By addressing the identified challenges and fostering collaboration among the different subsystems, the effectiveness of Community-Based Child Protection Structures can be further improved. In order to improve the efficiency of community-based child protection structures (CBCPS) and promote adequate child protection, the study recommends that the government reinforce its current policies. These suggestions are especially pertinent to those who work with children's rights, including legislators, academics, and students of devolution ideas.
