Abstract:
The need to implement the Rights of Vulnerable Children (RVC) has remained an issue of global concern. Previous studies on RVC and agencies implementing them have largely been from the legal, educational and medical perspectives, with little attention paid to faith-based interventions. This study was, therefore, designed to examine the strategies adopted and problems encountered by the Roman Catholic Church Social Agencies (RCCSA) in their implementation of RVC in Ibadan, with a view to highlighting their sociological implications.
Silver Hilary’s Social Inclusion Theory served as the framework. The descriptive research design was adopted. Bodija, Gbagi, Mokola, Yemetu, Aperin, Oritamefa, Molete, Agbowo and Apete in Ibadan being nine areas where the activities of RCCSA are prominent were purposively selected. In-depth interviews were conducted with 134 respondents: 12 Catholic priests, 20 RCCSA coordinators, 15 staff of RCCSA, four staff members of the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, 40 staff of RCCSA’ partnering agencies, 50 Vulnerable Children (VC), 10 VC’s parents, and three security officers. Twenty Focus Group Discussion sessions were held with participants drawn from 20 schools where Child Rights Clubs (CRCs) operate. Data were content analysed.
The use of Mass media, CRC monthly counselling, partnership with relevant agencies, capacity building, and creation of educational fund were the five strategies adopted by the RCCSA. Mass media created awareness among parents and children concerning RVC. This led to a rehabilitation and reunification of 30 VC with their biological and foster parents between 2017 and 2018. The CRC engagement in monthly counselling programmes reduced bullying and discrimination against VC in all the 20 secondary schools operating the CRC. Partnership with the relevant agencies made it possible for the agencies to perform their social services to the less privilege, particularly the vulnerable children, which for long have been neglected because they lacked essential logistic and financial supports. The capacity building in form of workshops, and seminars on methods of tracking child abusers in Ibadan led to the rescuing of 404 VC between 2014 and 2018. Availability of educational fund was instrumental to the enrolment of 91 VC in 15 schools with all their school fees paid and educational/vocational materials supplied between 2016 and 2018. Problems militating against the implementation of RVC are many parents’ poor knowledge of what constitutes child rights, and uncooperative attitudes of a few rehabilitated VC, who still go back to the streets after the rehabilitation and reunification.
The intervention of Roman Catholic Church Social Agencies has led to attitudinal change, socialisation, inter-religious interactions, social integration of the majority of VC and improved mobility and access of the disabled VC to public and private buildings and spaces in Ibadan, Nigeria from 2014 to 2018.
