A critical review on perspectives of child rights and protection in Africa

The rising number of incidences of psychological and nervous breakdowns and open psychiatric illnesses among children and adolescents are resulting into society’s, (parents and teachers in particular) inability to offer appropriate nurturance to them (children and adolescents). Parents and or caretakers with society at large are faced with difficulty to understand the childhood and adolescence stages. Effort has been put in place to try to maintain the known or familiar systems of parenting, nurturance and moral training, however, some seem to be a failure due to a number of factors such as modernity which allows exposure and modeling age-inappropriate behaviour. This article has assessed the principles of the rights of children with specific reference to Africa and Ugandan context. Children and adolescents in the contemporary society in Africa and in Uganda in particular are faced with many critical issues like inappropriate parenting/nurturance styles; unhealthy attachments and detachments; unresolved grief; traumatic events; addictions to drugs and substances; stress and conflicts; and peer pressure, child labor, child torture, child neglect. They therefore exhibit their vulnerability in behaviour. It concludes that raising the child requires an integrated and holistic approach supportive families, communities and government agencies by providing the basic needs of the children.