Africa Knowledge Hub for Children

OtherCrossref1 Jan 2024

Economic Crisis and Child Well-being in West and Central Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic that swept over the world from early 2020 triggered both health and economic shocks of unprecedented proportions in recent memory. For the first time in 6 decades, the economic output in the West and Central Africa Region (WCAR) of UNICEF shrank by 2.4 per cent in 2020 as 11 out of the 24 countries in the region recorded negative real GDP growth. Building on impact of economic crisis in the past, particularly the financial crisis of 2008 and the commodity crisis of 2014, this paper examined the impact of the COVID-19 induced economic crisis on child selected child wellbeing outcomes. The study finds that up to 6.7 million children born in 2020 might have missed essential vaccination land were not fully vaccinated by age 1. Similarly, the prevalence of undernourishment was projected to increase by 1.38 percentage points from the pre-pandemic level of 16.5 per cent. These estimates are conservative since they do not account for containment measures adopted to limit the spread of COVID-19. To avert these reversals in progress, governments are strongly encouraged to not cut financing for essential child services such as immunization and education as part of austerity measures. Indeed, extra economic support will be needed to offset the anticipated economic effects on households. The international development community are also strongly encouraged to provide additional resources and technical support to ensure that the well-being of children in the WCAR is protected and promoted to the greatest extent possible during this period of economic and social uncertainty.

Kaku Attah Damoah, Frank Otchere, Dominic Richardson

Survival

Peer-reviewed articleCrossref31 Jan 2026

Wounded Inner Child Experiences and Mental Well-Being Among University Students: A Correlational Study

Wounded inner child and mental well-being are two salient components of psychological health among university students that influence their capacity to adapt to academic demands and the developmental challenges of emerging adulthood. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of wounded inner child experiences among students and to examine their relationship with levels of mental well-being. Employing a correlational quantitative design, the research sampled 272 undergraduates and assessed childhood-derived wounds and mental well-being using standardized instruments. Results indicate a significant negative association between wounded inner child scores and mental well-being (r = –0.469), with the dimensions of shame/low self-worth, suppressed anger, and feelings of unlovability contributing most strongly to reduced well-being. These findings suggest that higher levels of wounded inner child experiences are associated with lower emotional and psychological well-being. Overall, the study underscores the importance of counseling interventions that target emotional wound repair and the strengthening of adaptive capacities to promote student mental-health in higher education settings.

Tasya Aprilya, Gian Sugiana Sugara, Anandha Putri Rahimsyah

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OtherCrossref2 Apr 2024

Patriarchy and Child Well-Being: Evidence from India

Abstract The nutrition and care received in childhood can have a profound impact on the adult life of an individual. Governments and the United Nations have emphasized proper care and nutrition for children, and the Sustainable Development Goals have targeted the elimination of stunting and wasting of children under the age of 5 by 2030. However, South Asia is lagging behind in this metric; the World Bank has noted that about 32 percent of Indian children under age of 5 is stunted, while the world average is 22 percent. While a number of studies have looked into ways of improving well-being of a child, and women’s empowerment, the relationship between patriarchy and children well-being has not been extensively studied. In this paper, we use data from the 2019 Demographic and Health Survey of India to study this relationship. We modify the patriarchy index outlined in Singh et al (2022) and use it in our paper. Our primary dependent variable is the standardized height-for-age percentile. We find that patriarchy negatively affects child height in the northern parts of India, and among certain religious groups. We theorize that culture of the land together with religion of the household impacts how patriarchy affects child height.

T M Tonmoy Islam, Morgan Kearns, Shabana Mitra

SurvivalINRead at source

Peer-reviewed articleCrossref11 Apr 2022

Being a (Female) Child in Baku: Social Order and Understandings of Well-Being

AbstractWhat does it mean to be a (female) child in the city of Baku, Azerbaijan? How can we critically interpret the girls’ understandings of well-being considering different forms of compliance with unequal social orders? What conclusions may be drawn from understandings of well- being about the nature of welfare state structures and there-in children’s specific positioning? To answer this question, we conducted qualitative interviews with 13 girls during their various leisure activities. The study shows that parents and in particular mothers are children’s key reference persons, while there are hardly any spaces the girls can explore or reference persons outside their immediate families. The article reconstructs how the 13 girls view the social practices of adults and how they relate these practices to their own perceptions of well-being. We inductively reconstruct different forms of compliance, i.e., the extent to which social practices are consistent with the symbolic representations (norms and values) of a specific social order and specific relations of power and hegemony. The analysis shows how girls make differentiations between adult social practices based on their knowledge orders: some practices they justify through a sort of complicity with adultist structures (competent compliance), others they must accept due to their own vulnerabilities as children (compliance and constitutive vulnerability), still others irritate, are rejected, or sabotaged (fragile compliance).

Christine Hunner-Kreisel, Nigar Nasrullayeva, Stefan Kreisel et al.

ParticipationDevelopmentAZRead at source

Peer-reviewed articleCrossref15 Jul 2025

Resolving conceptual and practical gaps in current child well-being models through the holistic well-being model for children

Abstract Despite the vast landscape of well-being research, children remain understudied, with existing theories primarily designed for adults. This article aims to critically review established well-being models and introduce a child-focused framework addressing current research gaps. The study emphasizes the need for age-appropriate measures and culturally inclusive methodologies to capture children’s unique experiences and developmental stages. The research synthesizes key concepts from hedonic and eudaimonic traditions, Ryff’s psychological well-being, and Seligman’s PERMA model, juxtaposed with Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Systematic analysis of theoretical gaps reveals significant omissions, such as the neglect of ethical and wonder dimensions and the underrepresentation of children’s own voices. Through a mixed-methods synthesis, we identify 14 dimensions essential to a holistic understanding of child well-being, from physical health to educational engagement. This culminates in the Holistic Well-being Model for Children (HWMC), which uniquely integrates underexplored facets like ethical curiosity and environmental contexts. The HWMC offers a transformative lens for researchers, educators, and policymakers, ensuring that interventions resonate with children’s realities. By addressing these critical gaps, this study redefines well-being as a multidimensional construct tailored for children, paving the way for innovative research and practices that foster thriving from childhood onwards.

Sepideh Navidmanesh, Maryam Kadkhodaee, Leili Ghadirinokabadi et al.

DevelopmentParticipationRead at source

Peer-reviewed articleCrossref26 Jul 2025

The impact of parenting styles on child safety and well-being

Background: Parenting styles play a critical role in shaping children's behavior, emotional development, and safety. Statistics show that a majority of child abuse cases involve perpetrators known to the child, with parental neglect being a significant contributing factor. This study identifies how different parenting styles authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful affect child safety and well-being, with a particular focus on parental monitoring, digital safety, and risk prevention. Method: A quantitative survey method was employed, involving 100 parents of children aged 10 to 15 years from urban and suburban areas. Participants were selected through stratified random sampling to ensure diversity across socioeconomic backgrounds. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that assessed parenting styles, child protection strategies, parental monitoring practices, and indicators of child well-being, including emotional security, behavioral tendencies, and exposure to risks. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis to explore associations and predictive relationships between parenting styles and child safety outcomes. Results: Results revealed that authoritative parenting (characterized by high warmth and high control) had a statistically significant positive correlation with higher child safety outcomes (p < 0.01), including improved supervision, increased digital safety awareness, and reduced engagement in risky behaviors. In contrast, authoritarian parenting (high control, low warmth) showed mixed effects, with strict safety measures coexisting with elevated levels of child anxiety and secrecy. Permissive parenting (high warmth, low control) was significantly associated with increased exposure to online threats and peer-related risks, while neglectful parenting (low warmth and low control) exhibited the strongest negative correlation with child safety (p < 0.01), linked to higher rates of abuse, cyberbullying, and emotional harm. Conclusion: Based on the findings, the study recommends promoting authoritative parenting strategies that integrate warmth and control. Parenting programs and community workshops should incorporate digital literacy and safety education. Schools and child welfare organizations must prioritize support for children from neglectful or permissive homes. Finally, policymakers should develop targeted, family-centered interventions to foster safe and nurturing environments for children.

N. D. D. N. Weerasinghe

ProtectionDevelopmentRead at source

Peer-reviewed articleCrossref1 Jan 2024

Empowering transformation: Harnessing child and youth narratives to propel meaningful and sustainable health and well-being in Lesotho

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This research emerges from Lesotho's diverse landscapes, where children’s stories remain largely unheard in the realm of health policy. The study aims to harness these narratives to drive equity, inclusivity, and human rights in health interventions, positioning youth not just as beneficiaries but as active participants in all health interventions. METHODS This research represents a meta-analysis of a larger, cross-sectional, qualitative research project, focused on understanding childrens’ narratives and experiences on their health and wellbeing. The study employed Participatory Learning Approach (PLA) tools, notably Social and Resource Mapping, Body Mapping, and Cause and Effect Analysis, to delve into these narratives. It involved a purposeful sample of 180 children, ranging from 6 to 19 years old, including school-goers, herd boys, children with disabilities, and teenagers. It occurred in diverse regions of Lesotho (Lowlands, Mountains, Foothills, and Senqu River Valley). This comprehensive approach also encompassed 18 Focus Group Discussions, enriched by Key Informant Interviews with local stakeholders. RESULTS Key findings from this study highlight significant issues in health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), education, nutrition, and child protection. The study underscores the challenges in accessing general healthcare services, particularly stressing the importance of sexual and reproductive health in high HIV/AIDS prevalence areas. The need for improved water and sanitation infrastructure is critically emphasised. In education, children and youth advocate for greater equity and inclusivity. The impact of climate change on nutrition is evident, leading to food insecurity and malnutrition, with high prevalence of stunting. Participants highlighted key facets of child protection, emphasising the increased vulnerability and exploitation of children and youth, alongside a considerable risk of gender-based and sexual violence. CONCLUSIONS Participants powerful testimonies advocate for a paradigm shift towards more inclusive and youth-involved policymaking, challenging the dominance of adult-centric approaches and calling for a holistic integration of their perspectives in programmes and policies.

Mairos Ferreira S, Muthengi K, Mohale M et al.

SurvivalDevelopmentProtectionParticipationLSRead at source

Peer-reviewed articleCrossref12 Jun 2023

Examining the Relationship between Subjective Well-being and Psychological Well-being among 12-Year-Old-Children from 30 Countries

AbstractCross-cultural studies on the relationship between subjective and psychological well-being in children are still very limited. Consequently, proposing a model that considers the interaction of these constructs and examining its applicability in several countries would enhance the understanding of these phenomena in childhood. Thus, the objective of this study is to identify the latent relationship between subjective and psychological well-being, and to measure invariance in a sample of 12-year-old children from 30 countries. Through a quantitative methodology with a correlational design, we analyze data from 44,358 children who participated in the third wave of the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being (ISCWeB), using Structural Equations Modeling (SEM). Results suggest that levels of subjective and psychological well-being are moderate and high, respectively, and point to significant differences in well-being indicators by country. In addition, subjective well-being is related to psychological well-being through a general adjustment model with oblique factors. Finally, the model of latent relationships presents metric invariance across nationalities.

Rodrigo Moreta-Herrera, Xavier Oriol-Granado, Mònica González-Carrasco et al.

DevelopmentRead at source

OtherCrossref2 Apr 2020

Coping During COVID-19: Tips for Adult and Child Mental Well-Being

Families are experiencing stress and hardship more than ever. Learn signs and tips for managing stress and anxiety for adults and children.

Kathryn Conrad

SurvivalDevelopmentRead at source

OtherCrossref1 Jan 2021

Foreword: Strengthened Bonds: Abolishing the Child Welfare System and Re-envisioning Child Well-Being

The 2001 book, Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare, by Dorothy Roberts, called out the racism of the child welfare system and the harms that system perpetrates on families and communities. Twenty years later, despite numerous reform efforts, the racism and profound harms endure. It is time for transformative change. In this foreword to the symposium Strengthened Bonds: Abolishing the Child Welfare System and Re-Envisioning Child Well- Being, honoring the 20th anniversary of Shattered Bonds, we highlight Professor Roberts’ articulation of her development as a family policing abolitionist and summarize the articles and comments contributed from scholars in numerous disciplines and well as impacted parents, family defense advocates and system-change activists. These contributions help us learn from history and political theory; focus on the unique and shared circumstances of Native American families; critique, and call for repeal of, much of current law; condemn the punitive, and racially disproportionate, surveillance of families; and demand a new approach that diverts the massive funding of the foster-care industrial complex into support, services, and healing for families, tribes, and communities. We call for abolition of the family regulation system, the term we use as a more accurate description of what is commonly called the child welfare or child protection system. We situate this call in the context of the more developed movement for prison abolition. The current system is predicated on seeing individual parents as a risk to their children. It fails to see the strengths and resilience of parents and families; the harms of surveillance and removal; and the structural forces that harm children by failing to invest in adequate housing, income, child care, health and mental health services, and educational opportunities for all families. Abolition provides the transformative mind-set that will enable loving and strengthened families to raise happy, healthy, safe, educated, and imaginative children.

Jane M. Spinak, Nancy D. Polikoff

ProtectionParticipationUSRead at source

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