Effectiveness of Laws Against Child Abuse

A Comparative Analysis Between Nigeria and South Africa

Abstract

In the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust, or power, child abuse encompasses all types of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, or negligent treatment, as well as commercial or other forms of exploitation. This harm can be real or potential and affects the child's health, survival, development, or dignity. Child abuse is a complex issue since it affects victims in many ways, including their social and emotional lives as well as their economic and educational opportunities, as well as their physical and mental health. Anxieties, sadness, PTSD, anxiety, increased risk of becoming a victim again as an adult, psychological trauma, and physical harm to the kid are all outcomes. Despite the many domestic policies, institutional frameworks, and laws enacted by the Nigerian government to combat the threat, it continues to pose a serious problem for the country's citizens. From this vantage point, the research compares and contrasts the anti-child-abuse legislation in South Africa with that in Nigeria in the hopes that the former may teach the latter a thing or two about how to effectively combat this problem. A doctrinal approach was used in the study. Although Nigeria has a fairly strong legal framework against child abuse, the study found that many systemic issues, including poor enforcement, poverty, harmful cultural norms, social standards, an insufficient child protection system, and a lack of awareness, make it ineffective. Therefore, the study suggested that the Nigerian constitution be revised to grant children exclusive rights and that section 12 be revised so that the court can automatically apply international child law, similar to what happens in South Africa. To make sure the laws really protect children in Nigeria, it is essential to address these underlying causes in the results.