Peer-reviewed article
Socio-Demographic Determinants of Parental Attitudes and Practices Towards Violence Against Children in Nepal: An Analysis Using MICS 2019 Data
Peshal Puri, Juthiram Chaudhari ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study analysed data from Nepal's 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey to identify which families are most likely to use physical and humiliating punishment on children. Researchers categorised children into risk groups based on violence exposure and caregiver attitudes. Younger children, those in rural areas, poorer households, and those with less educated parents faced higher risks of violence. Maternal education was identified as a strong protective factor that reduced children's exposure to violence.
Key points
- Younger children (around 9 years) showed higher proportions in high-risk groups compared to older children
- Rural areas, lower wealth quintiles, and less educated households reported higher risks of child violence
- Maternal education emerged as a critical protective factor, significantly reducing likelihood of children experiencing violence
- Provincial disparities were stark, with Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces showing the highest proportions of high-risk children
- Physical and humiliating punishment remains rooted as a disciplinary practice in Nepal
Limitations
The study is descriptive and analytical rather than evaluative, so it cannot determine causal relationships or the effectiveness of any specific intervention. It relies on cross-sectional survey data, which cannot establish whether socio-demographic factors cause violence or are merely associated with it.
Abstract
Violence Against Children (VAC) is a widespread global concern, affecting up to 1 billion children each year through physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. VAC is one of the harmful practices that affects children’s holistic development however it has been rooted as a way to make children disciplined. This study intends to explore the occurrence and determinants of violence against children in Nepal, emphasizing Physical and Humiliating Punishment (PHP) and caregiver views toward disciplinary attitude. This study utilizes data from the 2019 Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) to examine socio-demographic factors affecting child risk levels, caregiver acceptance of PHP, and children's exposure to violence. The study categorizes children into no-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk groups based on exposure to violence and caregiver attitudes. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses reveal significant associations between child risk levels and factors such as age, region, parental education, and household wealth. Younger children (about 9 years) exhibit high-risk proportions compared to older children, while rural areas, lower wealth quintiles, and less educated households report higher risks. Maternal education emerges as a critical protective factor, significantly reducing the likelihood of children experiencing violence. Provincial disparities are stark, with Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces showing the highest proportions of high-risk children. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions addressing socio-economic disparities, enhancing parental education, and implementing region-specific strategies to mitigate violence against children.