Tag Archives: Knowledge

FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AMONG MARRIED WOMEN

INFLUENCE OF PERSONAL VARIABLES ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AMONG MARRIED WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGES IN BENIN METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT

The study investigated influence of personal variables on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women of reproductive ages in Benin metropolis. Specifically, the study was undertaken to determine knowledge of married women on family planning methods and the various family planning methods they practice. The study examined the influence of personal variables (age and educational qualifications) on their knowledge and practice of family planning methods.  The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study covered all the married women of reproductive age in Benin metropolis, Edo State comprising of 16,000 women as obtained from the provisional figure of the National Population Commission (NPC), Benin City (2014). A sample of 800 married women comprising market women, civil servants, teachers, female local farmers, women in religious worship among others. However, seven hundred and seventy two (772) copies of the questionnaires were recovered and used for the analysis. The instrument used a self-developed questionnaire with a reliability coefficient (α) of 0.73. Data collected from the survey were analysed with percentages (%), mean ( ) and standard deviation (S.D) while the hypotheses were tested using t-test statistic. Results obtained from the analyses showed that married women in Benin metropolis have good knowledge of family planning methods such as the use of condoms, use of pills, use of injectable hormones, abstinence from sex, withdrawal method during sex, isolation of women from husband, use of local drugs (concortions) and prolonged breast feeding. Consequently, many of them practice the use of condoms, pills, abstinence from sex, withdrawal method during sex, isolation of women from husband, use of local drugs and prolonged breast feeding as their family planning methods. Result further showed that age has no influence on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women in the metropolis (p>0.05) while educational qualification, significantly influence knowledge and practice of family planning methods (p<0.05). It was recommended that counsellors and non-governmental agencies need to try as much as they can to ensure women are well informed on the appropriate family planning methods they could practice with their spouse or partner.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Rapid population growth is a burden on the resources of many developing countries. Unregulated fertility, which contributes to such situation, contributed to the poor economic development and political instability of these countries. Therefore, many countries consider limiting population growth as an important component of their overall developmental goal to improve living standard and the quality of life of the people. This strategy is now enhanced by the availability of effective modern contraceptives methods. Since 1960s, many international institutions and organizations such as: the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank (WB), United Nation Population Fund Activities (UNPFA) and United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), have strongly advocated for family planning as a means of spacing children, having limited family size and should be one of the essential primary health care services provided (Rosenfield & Schwartz, 2005).

The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Cairo, 1994 expanded marital health to a broader scope of reproductive health and endorsed a range of major goals for countries to achieve. Two of the goals are: a) 75 percent reduction in the maternal mortality ratio by 2015 and b) all couples and individuals should have the full opportunity to exercise their right to have children by choice (Rosenfield & Schwartz, 2005). Also, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted by United Nations in 2000 require member countries to achieve a set of 5 goals among which is to improve maternal health by reducing three quarters of the ratio of women dying in childbirth by 2015. In all these programmes, contraception and family planning play a central role in the strategies to achieve the set goals.

Encyclopedia (2013) defined family planning as birth control and other techniques to implement such plans which include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counselling and management of infertility. It further conceptualizes that family planning is educational, comprehensive medical or social activities which enable individuals to determine freely the number and spacing of their children and to select the means by which this may be achieved. Hence, it implies the ability of individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children by spacing and timing their births (Umbeli, Mukhtar & Abusalab, 2005). Usually, family planning practices are of two categories: the traditional methods and the modern (orthodox) methods. The traditional methods include prolonged breast feeding, isolation of women from husband, abstinence from sex, withdrawal method during sex, use of iron ring, use of local concussions and leather belt stuffed with charm among others.

The modern methods include: the use of condom, pills, coils, intra-uterine device (UIDs), and use of injectable hormones, sterilization, vasectomy and douching among others. There are many reasons for family planning which among others include: to prevent pregnancy, to postpone pregnancies, to space children, for those who have all the children they want, to prevent future pregnancies and for health and economic reasons. These reasons are often related to the stage of every woman’s reproductive life whether: single, new marriage, before birth, after first child and before last child. During each stage, contraceptive choices and need vary within this context. Hence, professional counsellors can play a vital role in helping women or couples to choose an appropriate method that matches her or their needs during her or their current stage of reproductive life.

Globally, family planning is promoted as a mechanism to address the reproductive health needs of men and women, as well as the crucial challenge of rapid population increase. Family planning is a practice by which a couple space the number of years between each child they want to give birth to, through the use of contraceptive methods. More than 200 million women in developing countries would like to delay their next pregnancy or even stop bearing children altogether, but many of them still rely on traditional and less effective methods of contraception or use no method at all (UNPFA, 2001). Those who do not use any contraceptive method may lack access or face barriers in using contraceptives. These barriers among others include: lack of awareness, lack of access, cultural factors, religion, opposition to use by partners or family members, and fear of health risks and side effects of contraceptives.

However, despite the campaign on the usefulness of family planning in having smaller and healthier family, United Nation Population Fund Activities (UNPFA) (2001) indicated that contraceptive use is still low in many developing countries, including Nigeria where 23.7% of currently married women had never used one. One may ask if majority of Nigerian women are aware of family planning practices, and also whether very many of them use it for birth control. Observations have shown that some women in the cities, towns and villages are aware of the family planning campaign but many are reluctant to using them. Different factors such as culture, age, education, poverty and poor access among other numerous factors have been identified by scholars to militate against the use of family planning methods (UNPFA, 2001; Rosenfield & Schwartz, 2005).

Traditionally, most Nigerian cultures are highly patriarchal, having value for high fertility and male child preference. Hence, this perhaps could have a negative impact on the utilization of family planning services. A study by Rosenfield & Schwartz (2005) on reproductive motivation and family size preferences among Nigerian men, revealed that the characteristic male dominance, patrilineal traditions support for large family sizes and men’s reproductive motivation to a large extent, affect the reproductive behaviour of their wives. These cultural values undermine the utilization of family planning in many communities in Nigeria like the traditional core areas of Benin, where families still support large family sizes of more than four children per woman, and where polygamy is commonly practiced.

The use of modern contraceptive methods translates into the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and subsequent abortions. If contraceptive usage increases among Nigerian men and women who are sexually active, then, there will be a significant reduction in unwanted pregnancies and abortions leading to reduced maternal mortality. The importance of considering the well-being of women in development planning is well supported by the United Nations and many of its agencies; some of which are United Nation Population Fund Activities (UNPFA), United Nations International Children Educational Fund (UNICEF), and World Health Organization (WHO) among others. These agencies contribute to the increasing campaign for women right in family issues mostly as it pertains to their health and that of their child(ren) (born and yet unborn). Women are both beneficiaries and potential contributors to the development process and active efforts to meet their needs, should be considered a national priority, most especially their reproductive health issues. Despite all this, in most cases especially in rural areas, women do not have a say when it comes to family planning issues and reproductive health care. Many married women also, have been threatened, abused, beaten and sometimes overpowered when it comes to sexual play and matters that concerns family planning. Some married women either due to illiteracy or self-beliefs do not adhere or practice family planning. Many see the use of contraceptives as a portrayal of waywardness

The acceptance of family planning is known to be influenced by social and cultural factors, among others. Some of these factors comprise of family income, age, educational status, and occupation of married couples among others (Shareen, 2011; Ozumba, 2011). Such cultural indolence is often sustained by religious values even when there are no specific prescriptions against birth control. The Old Testament injunction to “be fruitful and multiply” has its counterpart in the teachings of several religions predominantly throughout Sub-Saharan African Countries, Nigeria inclusive. Although, family planning is widely promoted in Nigeria, it is not without ethical issues. Unfortunately in many religions, there is an opposition to human intervention in the reproductive process. This is as a result of the beliefs that procreation is sacred and any interference with it would bring down the wrath of God.

Desire by most individuals and couples for a large family size is as a result of the positive value which the Nigeria society attached to marriage, family life and procreation. Unexpected or unplanned pregnancies possess a major public health challenge in women of reproductive age, especially in developing countries. It has been estimated that of the 210 million pregnancies that occur annually worldwide, about 80 million (38%) are unplanned, and 46 million (22%) end in abortion. More than 200 million women in developing countries would like to delay their next pregnancy or even stop bearing children altogether, but many of them still rely on traditional and less effective methods of contraception or use no method at all (WHO, 2013). Those who do not use any contraceptive method may lack access or face barriers to using contraception. These barriers may include lack of awareness, lack of access, cultural factors, religion, opposition to use by partners or family members and fear of health risks and side effects of contraceptives.

In some areas of Nigeria, one in five women report having experienced an unwanted conception, of these 58% had an abortion and an additional 9% attempted unsuccessfully to end the pregnancy. It is estimated that about 25% of women who have abortion in Nigeria experience serious complications (Ozumba, 2011). Following the health problems inherent in women as a result of early pregnancies, unwanted pregnancies, complications and other health related problems, adopting family planning measures may help reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions to its barest minimum.

Statement of the Problem

The role of women in child rearing, family care, and the family formation process as a whole, cannot be overemphasized. Unfortunately, women in most cases do not have a say when it comes to family planning issues and reproductive health care. It has been observed that married ones among them, have been threatened, abused, beaten and sometimes overpowered when it comes to sexual play and matters that concerns family planning by their partners. Some married women either due to illiteracy or self-beliefs do not adhere or practice family planning. Many see the use of contraceptives as a portrayal of waywardness. Consequently, many of them get unintended pregnancy that they never planned for.

Birth resulting from unintended pregnancies can have negative consequences including birth defects and low birth weight. Such children are more likely to experience poor mental physical health during childhood, and have lower educational attainment and more behavioural issues in their teen years (UNPFA, 2001). In many male dominated societies Nigeria inclusive, women are not empowered to take decisions for family planning for reasons such as their personal beliefs, tradition, their social attitudes and literacy level. Consequently, many married women bear the burden of child-bearing and rearing with the attendant rigorous house chores and probable break down in health.

Governments have failed to provide basic infrastructure to run family planning programs in rural areas. In Benin metropolis, an average Benin man (irrespective of his age or social status) will want his wife to keep on conceiving until a son is born even if he has more than four female children. Consequently, many married women face the consequence of raising many children without proper child spacing. Many of them even ignore using contraceptives because their husbands do not support the use. Also, elders are often against family planning due to old age tradition and superstitions. Hence, youngsters who want to go in for family planning risk the wrath of elders. This situation poses a question or two on: what is the awareness level of married women on family planning methods and the methods they use to control child birth in Benin metropolis? What personal factors influence the knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women of reproductive ages in the metropolis? 

Furthermore, several studies have been undertaken on attitude towards contraceptives among married people with respect to their ages and religion respectively (Nyawade, 2008; Ugoji, 2008); family planning methods among married couples in Zululand, South Africa and Delta State, Nigeria respectively (Makhaza & Ige, 2014; Uwe & Okon, 2011); Knowledge, attitude and practices on contraceptive usage among undergraduates in Ekpoma-Edo State (Idonije, Oluba & Otamere, 2011) and Enugu (Ikeme, Ezegwui & Uzodimma, 2005). However, a knowledge gap exists on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women with respect to their reproductive ages and educational status in Edo State. Consequently, this study is undertaken to determine the influence of age and educational status on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis. 

Purpose of the Study

This study examines influence of personal variables on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women of reproductive ages in Benin metropolis. Specifically, the study sought to:

  1. determine whether married women in Benin metropolis have knowledge of family planning methods
  2. examine the family planning methods practiced among married women in Benin metropolis
  3. find out the influence of age on knowledge of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis
  4. find out the influence of age on practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis
  5. determine the influence of educational status on knowledge of family planning among married women in Benin metropolisdetermine the influence of educational status on practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis

Research Questions

This study was guided by the following research questions:

  1. Do married women in Benin metropolis have knowledge of family planning methods?
  2. What are the family planning methods practiced among married women in Benin metropolis?
  3. What is the influence of age on knowledge of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis?
  4. What is the influence of age on practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis?
  5. What is the influence of educational status on knowledge of family planning among married women in Benin metropolis?
  6. What is the influence of educational status on practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis?

Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses were tested in the study:

  1. There is no significant difference between old and young married women on knowledge of family planning methods.
  2. There is no significant difference between old and young married women on practice of family planning methods.
  3. There is no significant difference between well-educated and less-educated married women on knowledge of family planning methods.
  4. There is no significant difference between well-educated and less-educated married women on practice of family planning methods.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of immense benefit to married men and women, guidance counsellors, public health administrators, the government and prospective researchers. The findings would be of benefit to them in the following ways:

To married men and women, findings from the study would show them the various family planning methods used by married women in Benin metropolis. Hence, this could help to show them the various family planning options available as well as the one they could adopt for their sex life with their life partner.

Guidance counsellors and public health Administrators would also benefit from this study in that findings would avail them with information on the level of awareness and methods of family planning adopted by married women of reproductive age. Hence, the outcome of the study could bring about increasing sensitization or awareness campaign on the use of safe family planning methods in the Benin metropolis and beyond.

Findings from this study would help the government to ascertain the influence of age and educational status on family planning methods practiced by married women in the metropolis. Hence, this could afford them the opportunity of determining the age status or class of married educated women to provide detailed information on birth control methods or family planning.

Lastly, findings from the study will contribute to knowledge, provoke further researches on this area and consequently lead to the production of more empirical data that would be of benefit to prospective researchers in the future. 

Scope of the Study

The study will cover all married women of reproductive age in Benin metropolis including market women, civil servants, teachers, female local farmers, women in religious worship centres, health workers at the family planning unit, post-natal, and ante-natal unit of the Central Hospital Benin City, St. Philomena Hospital Benin City, Faith Medical Centre, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Our Medical Centre, Benin City, Military Hospital, Benin City and Rohobot Medical Centre, Benin City. The study will examine the influence of age and educational status on the knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women of reproductive ages in Benin metropolis

Limitations of the Study

Essentially, this study focused on the influence of age and educational qualification on knowledge and practice of family planning methods married women of reproductive ages in Benin metropolis. The population of the study covered market women, civil servants, teachers, female local farmers, women in religious worship centres, health workers at the family planning unit, post-natal, and ante-natal unit of selected hospitals in the metropolis. Hence, exclusion of other category of women reproductive ages such as academics, bankers, and public office servants (who usually possess high educational qualification), shows that generalizations from the study is only based on facts collected from women who are seemingly of low socio-economic background. Thus, generalizations from this study may be limited. Furthermore, the study relied only on questionnaire for collecting data. Recently, there have been clamour for both qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection. Hence, the involvement of interview schedule and focused group discussions (FGDs) with women of various ages and educational status would have further helped to determine the family planning methods practiced among married women in the study area.

Operational Definition of Terms

The following terms are operationally defined for the study:

Family Planning: This refers to birth spacing or birth control methods used by married women in preventing a pregnancy.

Knowledge: This refers to awareness of married women in Benin metropolis on the various family planning methods or contraceptive practices.

Family Planning Methods: These are devices or practices used or employed by married women to prevent pregnancy. Some of the devices include among others: contraceptive pills, condoms, and hormonal injection, while the practices include withdrawal methods, calendar estimation and abstinence from sex among others.

Married Women of Reproductive Age: This refers to women still living with their spouse within the marriageable and child bearing age of 18-55years.

Ages: This refers to the oldness or youngness of women of married women of reproductive age.

Old Women: This are married women that are above the age of 30years.

Young Women: This are married women that are below the age of 30years

Well-Educated Women: This are married women that are degree holders. They cover married women with degrees and post-graduate degrees such as bachelor degrees, masters and doctorate among others from tertiary institutions.

Less-Educated Women: This are married women that do not hold a bachelor degree as their highest educational qualification but have lesser qualifications such as: diploma(s) (ND, OND, HND), secondary education, or primary school certificate.

 

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KNOWLEDGE SHARING BEHAVIOUR AMONG STUDENTS IN FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZARIA, KADUNA STATE

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study is to analyze the knowledge sharing behavior of students in Federal College of Education, Zaria, Kaduna State. Other specific objective are to examine the sources, purpose and channels of knowledge sharing among students as well as the attitude of students, motivational factors to and barriers against knowledge sharing amongst students understudied. Related literatures were reviewed. The descriptive survey design was adopted. The population of the study comprised of 45,000 students, while the random sampling techniques was used to draw up a sample size of 250. The questionnaire was the major instrument for data collection. The data were analyzed using the simple percentage and frequency count tables. Finding showed that sources of knowledge sharing among these category of students studied are the internet, classmates, library, course instructors and friends outside the college. Also, motivating factors to knowledge sharing are: learning from themselves and helping others; it was also revealed that preferred channels of knowledge sharing among students are face-to-face interaction, online, telephone interactions and online messages. It was discovered that barriers’ to knowledge sharing are lack of knowledge sharing culture, lack of depth of relationship amongst students and fear of being surpassed by their colleagues. Conclusion was drawn and recommendations made.

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USE OF SOCIAL NETWORK FOR KNOWLEDGE SHARING AMONG UNDERGRADUATES OF AMBROSE ALLI UNIVERSITY EKPOMA EDO STATE.

ABSTRACT

This study examined the use of social network for knowledge sharing among undergraduates students using Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma Edo State as a case study. The field survey research design was used in this study. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire. The population of this study consist of all undergraduate library and information science students of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma (AAU). However a sample size of one hundred and fifty (150) undergraduate students in library and information science in one university in Edo State was used. A total of one hundred and thirty two (132) copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and analyzed with simple table percentage, mean and standard deviation. It was found that students share knowledge on entertainment, about exam, lectures and timetable. It was also found that Students share knowledge to learn from each other and to maintain reciprocity in relationship. It was also found that students use Whatsap, Facebook, YouTube and BBM messenger. It was also found that poor internet connection, delay in response from the other party, tendency to be distracted online and epileptic power supply hinder students in using social network. The study recommended that: students who are heavy users, should moderate the use of the sites to avoid addiction and create a balance between their offline and online lives while using the sites and tertiary Institutions should organize a seminar to enlighten students on the not too-good aspects of using social networking sites as media of interaction.

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THE IMPACT OF SCHOOLING, GENDER AND LOCATION ON ADOLESCENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHILD TRAFFICKING IN EDO STATE

THE IMPACT OF SCHOOLING, GENDER AND LOCATION ON ADOLESCENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHILD TRAFFICKING IN EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the impact of schooling, gender and location on adolescents’ knowledge and attitude towards child trafficking in Edo State. The study employed the descriptive study based on the survey research design. The population of this study consisted of in-school and out-of-school adolescents within the age bracket of 15 years to 18 years old in Nigeria. A sample of 1198 adolescents who comprised 1034 in-school and 164 out-of-school adolescents were drawn (based on purposively sampling Technique) from the three senatorial districts of Edo State. Eight research questions and six hypotheses were raised for the study. The instrument used in this study was a rating scale titled “Adolescents’ knowledge and Attitude towards child trafficking (AKATCT)” which was completed by the respondents. In order to ascertain the reliability of the entire instrument, Spearman Brown “r” formula was applied and it showed reliability co-efficient of 0.88 for Cluster B and 0.92 for Cluster C, which revealed that the items in the instrument were reliable. Data were collected and analyzed using percentages, mean and t-test. The analysis of their responses showed that: Majority of the adolescents had adequate knowledge of child trafficking. In-school and out-of-school adolescents in Edo State do not significantly differ in their knowledge of child trafficking. Rural adolescents had higher level of knowledge of child trafficking than urban adolescents. Female adolescents had higher level of knowledge of child trafficking than their male counterparts. Majority of the adolescents had unfavourable attitude towards child trafficking. Unfavourable attitude to child trafficking was more among in-school and male adolescents than their out-of-school and female mates respectively. Urban adolescents possessed high unfavourable attitude to child trafficking than their colleagues in rural areas. Based on the findings, the study recommended, among others, that school counsellors, parents/guardians, teachers, Non Governmental Organizations and all stakeholders should wage war against child trafficking by upholding and functionalizing all Government’s policies geared towards eradicating the root causes of trafficking.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Child trafficking has become an issue of perennial concern to all who uphold human dignity as sacred. The high rate of its occurrence among adolescents has made it an issue of global concern. Child trafficking means obtaining a child’s consent/approval deceitfully or forcefully or normally to be recruited, harboured and transferred from the child’s domicile to another place to be exploited by another (trafficker) in prostitution, labour or other servitude of any kind and illegal business.

Child trafficking is globally considered as an illegal trade. This is because the adolescents who are victims of trafficking are used for commercial sex exploitation (modern day reproductive slavery or modern-day form of sex slavery) and forced labour (Renton, 2001; Dottridge, 2004; Firoze, 2006; Gbadamosi, 2006). Van (2006) revealed that increased demand for cheap labour and sex, aided by restrictions on legal migration possibilities, have opened a niche for traffickers. These have aided the growth of human trafficking, especially as occasioned by the current market forces that support such industry.

Trafficking of human beings in Nigeria has become increasingly worrisome as a result of the shocking dimensions it has assumed. Although human trafficking is neither alien nor new in Nigeria, what is striking is the transnational character and the height the practice seems to have reached in recent times. Nigeria seems to have become overwhelmingly notorious for human trafficking in Africa. Nigeria is known as a source, transit and destination country for child trafficking, as gathered from the situation assessment of child trafficking in Southern Nigeria by the  National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other related Matters (NAPTIP) and UNICEF (2004), which revealed that over 56% of repatriated victims of trans-national trafficking in Nigeria were children who were engaged mainly in prostitution, domestic labour (21%) forced labour (15%) and entertainment (8%). Within Nigeria, trafficking of children was also reported; for forced labour (32%), domestic labour (31%), prostitution (30%) and entertainment (7%). Evidence available indicates the purpose of trafficking to includes sexual exploitation, begging, underpaid and exploited forced labour in the agricultural, manufacturing and construction industries, domestic service and organ harvesting (United Nations, 2000).

 Human trafficking, as a business in the world today, is one that seems to be very lucrative hence it has attracted the attention of many adolescents. But it is by no means the fastest lucrative illegal businesses in the world as Haken (2011) revealed child trafficking as second only to drug trafficking, another illegal business in the world today. The lucrative nature of child trafficking was further buttressed by the instances given by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2004) that the total revenue that was accruing annually from trafficking in persons was estimated to be between $5 billion and $9 billion.  It further revealed that 600, 000 – 800, 000 women and children are trafficked annually across international borders. The vast majority of children trafficked under 18 years are girls while boys account for only 2% of child trafficking cases. Most of these girls are often trafficked for sex work in Europe and the Middle East (UNESCO, 2005).

Since the beginning of the 1990s, human trafficking has become an issue at the United Nations. Efforts then were not solely geared towards combating trafficking in girls; rather it was a mission to control the spread of HIV/AIDS. This is supported by Van (2006) who declared clearly that the two fundamental reasons for the revival of the fight against trafficking then were the strong feminist movement at that time as well as the growing concern over HIV/AIDS. By the end of the 1990s, there was a paradigm shift from the trafficking of the female folk to trafficking of both males and females. Therefore, in order to curb the trend, the European Parliament went beyond the traditional female oriented concept of human trafficking and adopted the term trafficking in human persons (Van, 2006).

Child trafficking is in every sense of the word comparable to slave trade. However, unlike slave trade that trafficked adults, this new form of slavery focuses on children, showing that while the former was abhorrent, the latter is abominable and as such is seen and held as human violation of children’s right. These rights on global acceptance concur with International Human Rights Treaties that have been adopted since 1956 under the UN Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, Slave Trading and Institutions and Practices similar to Slavery. Despite the ratification of these treaties, it is sad to know that many Nigerian youths die while trying to migrate illegally to Spain, Italy, and other European countries.

Global consciousness and worry have brought to light the growing phenomenon of child trafficking, the main form of trafficking in human persons. An estimate of all trafficked persons globally shows that 35 percent of them are children who are below eighteen years old (Osita, 2003). Despite existing local, national and international laws enacted to prevent and stop human trafficking, the crime seems to have remained unchecked; obviously because the practice appears to have defiled all the efforts of the relevant law enforcement agencies (United Nation Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), 2006b).

Arising from the growing incidents of child trafficking, especially in Nigeria, one begins to wonder what could be responsible for the increased rate and trend in child trafficking. The researcher examined the influence of schooling, gender and location on adolescents’ knowledge of and attitude towards child trafficking. The incidence of child trafficking has striking dimensions since both adolescents’ in-school (Juveniles or teenagers currently attending schools) and out-of-school (Juveniles or teenagers currently not attending schools currently) are involved. There is a popular notion that the victims of child trafficking appear to be adolescents who are out-of-school which shows that out-of-school adolescents seems to be more vulnerable to trafficking than those in school. The fact that they are not in school makes it easier for them to be coerced or deceived by their traffickers with promises of better life in Europe and big cities. Although incidents of trafficking in Edo State involve both in-school and out-of-school adolescents, yet the out-of-school adolescents seem to be more. This study succinctly examined the school status of adolescents to child trafficking in order to ascertain the influence on their knowledge of and attitude towards child trafficking.

Traffickers’ focus is on how to capture beautiful and attractive young female adolescents for their business. One wonders how they get their prey so easily. These adolescents believe, from evidence of victims of trafficking, that once one leaves this country for overseas, especially Europe, that person is already wealthy.  This was the case of the first sets of the victims of trafficking who were very successful and returned to their State of origin (Edo) to show off their wealth (Aghatise, 2002). However, there is a new scandalous trend of trafficking in Edo State which no longer involves only females but male adolescents. In recent times, it has been noticed that only girls internally trafficked are further trafficked externally to European countries as reported by the deported girls themselves. (NAPTIP, 2005).  In a bid to understand gender in the network of trafficking; this refers to male and female with cultural values, roles and inclinations. The rate of trafficking amongst male and female adolescents’ is not clear as some areas are dominated by male adolescents while in some females are predominant. The researcher therefore investigated the influence of gender on adolescents’ knowledge of and attitude towards child trafficking in other to determine those more prone to become trafficked.

Closely related to the factor of gender as a likely variable that influences child trafficking is location of the would-be adolescent victim. Adolescents domicile has an important role to play in trafficking trade. Oftentimes, adolescents are trafficked from rural areas into urban cities or across border. Again, the location of adolescents seems to influence their recruitment into trafficking especially as poor adolescents sometimes even volunteer themselves for trafficking due to personal reasons. Unfortunately, some of the adolescents see trafficking as a form of assistance by benefactors who mean “well” for them. The recruitment of adolescents in rural areas is seen to be more rampant than in the urban areas due to the decline of rural communal life, traditional value system, extended family setting, occasioned by rapid urbanization, education, globalization and harsh economic conditions seem to have made rural adolescents more vulnerable to trafficking than their urban counterparts. People are now concerned mainly with their nuclear families without having consideration for the extended family and larger society. This has led to the collapse of extended family system and community form of solidarity. The collapse of the protective environment seems to have worsened the situation of vulnerable adolescents, especially that of female adolescents in the rural areas. It is against this backdrop that the researcher examined how location influences adolescents’ knowledge of and attitude towards child trafficking.

Adolescents’ attitude towards child trafficking centres on their mindset especially to the extent they are disposed either positively or negatively based on the knowledge they have. There are many young people in Nigeria with some level of education, but have no jobs, they believe that they would get jobs outside Nigerian shores and this make them very vulnerable to the manipulation of the traffickers who rely heavily on their unfortunate conditions (NAPTIP, 2005). Most of the trafficked children are victims of traffickers because they want to go abroad to search for better employment opportunities. This has led to the craze, especially among girls, to opt for traveling abroad through sponsors instead of employing legitimate means. It is on this premise that the researcher investigated the influence of schooling, gender and location on the knowledge of and attitude of child trafficking to ascertain the measure of influence the above variables has on adolescents’ knowledge of and attitudes towards child trafficking.

Statement of the Problem

Child trafficking is a global menace. Trafficking in children is the foremost human rights violation in the world today, Child trafficking often leads to the violation of the rights of a child and child abuse such as abandonment of school and broken homes as well as making them prone to contacting incurable diseases such as “HIV”, emotional and psychological trauma, violence and are made to work under dangerous working conditions. Even problems have erupted for young girls who refused to be lured into trafficking by family members tagging them as enemies of progress. This is because children have been found to be vulnerable and helpless. Some key factors that facilitate trafficking include poverty, female gender, lack of policy and enforcement, age, migration, displacement and conflict, ethnicity, culture, ignorance of trafficking methods which facilitate or mitigate adolescents’ vulnerability to child trafficking.

In addressing vulnerability of children towards child trafficking, several International Regulations have been laid down to help in combating the ugly trade of trafficking in children as well as other human beings. Nigeria as a nation has ratified some of these International Instruments. In addition, Nigeria has enacted different laws to combat human trafficking. Among these are the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), Labour Act (1974), Child Rights Act (2003), National Plan of Action for Combating Child labour (2000), Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcements and Administration (Amendment) Act (2003), Criminal Code (As applicable in the Southern States of Nigeria) (1990), Penal Code (As applicable in the Northern States of Nigeria) (1963) and Immigration Act (1990). The Edo State Government has also passed a law making trafficking in women a punishable offence known as the Anti Trafficking Law (2002).

Despite these laws and efforts by government and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOS), there appears to be a rising tide in the ugly trend of trafficking, especially in children (Global Alliance against Trafficking in Women, 2001). In fact the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that 75% of trafficking victims are women and children. Female adult make up 55% to 60% of all trafficked victims globally, followed by girls at 17%. Alarmingly, the UNODC’s 2007–2010 estimates reveal a rise in the total percentage of child victims from 20% to 27% (UNODC, 2012).

 Every now and then incidents of repatriated Nigerians, who illegally migrated to countries in Europe, are reported in the mass media.  Most often, those repatriated are adolescent girls, who narrate different stories of how they were trafficked to Europe. Even within Nigeria, especially in recent times, illegal baby manufacturing industries in the big cities where adolescent girls are illegally kept for sexual exploitations are being uncovered by law enforcement agents and other security agencies. Many of the girls in these sexual factories are victims of child trafficking.

Within Nigeria, children are trafficked due to the great demand for cheap labour in all spheres of life in urban cities, ranging from domestic servitude, hawking, begging and employment as bus conductors and street traders. These children are also employed in cottage industries, brass melting, stone digging, scavenging and even in agricultural works (UNESCO, 2005). Across the border of Nigeria, trafficked Nigerian children are purely for prostitution. This is why in most cases girls are mostly sought after in the trafficking business. It is sad that despite efforts by government and other stakeholders to stop this illegal business, trafficking in children continues to thrive in Nigeria, assuming new trends and dimensions. It is against this backdrop that the researcher investigated the influence of schooling, gender, location on adolescents’ knowledge of and attitude towards child trafficking in Edo State.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of schooling, gender and location on adolescents’ knowledge and attitude towards child trafficking in Edo State. Specially, the study shall:

  1. Determine knowledge of child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State.
  2. Ascertain attitude towards child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State.
  3. Establish the influence of gender on knowledge of child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State.
  4. Determine the influence of location on knowledge of child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State.
  5. Find out the influence of schooling on knowledge of child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State.
  6. Investigate the influence of gender on attitude towards child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State.
  7. Establish the influence of location on attitude towards child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State.
  8. Ascertain the influence of schooling on attitude towards child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State.

Research Questions

To guide this study, the following research questions have been raised by the researcher to investigate the influence of the variables of schooling, gender and location on adolescents’ knowledge of and attitude towards child trafficking:

  1. What is the level of knowledge of child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State?  
  2. What are the attitudes towards child trafficking among adolescents in Edo State?
  3. What is the difference in the level of knowledge of child trafficking between in-school adolescents and out-of-school adolescents in Edo State?
  4. What is the difference in the level of knowledge of child trafficking between adolescents in urban and rural areas of Edo state?
  5. What is the difference in the level of knowledge of child trafficking between male and female adolescents in Edo State?
  6. What is the difference in attitude towards child trafficking between in-school and out-school adolescents in Edo State?
  7. What is the difference in attitude towards child trafficking between adolescents in urban and adolescents in rural area of Edo State?
  8. What is the difference in attitude towards child trafficking between male and female adolescents in Edo State?

Research Hypotheses

 The following hypotheses were tested in this study at 0.05 level of Significance:

  1. There is no significant difference in the knowledge of child trafficking between in-school adolescents and out-of school adolescents in Edo State.
  2. There is no significant difference in the knowledge of child trafficking between adolescents in rural areas and those in urban areas in Edo State.
  3. There is no significant difference in the knowledge of child trafficking between male and female adolescents in Edo State.
  4. There is no significant difference in attitude towards child trafficking between in- school adolescents and out-of-school adolescents in Edo State.
  5. There is no significant difference in attitude towards child trafficking between adolescents in rural areas and those in urban areas in Edo State.
  6. There is no significant difference in attitude towards child trafficking between male and female adolescents in Edo State.

Significance of the Study

The findings of the study in practical terms will be a working document and a guide to school counsellors, educational administrators, policy makers, parents, owners of training institutions and all stakeholders both in the educational and non-educational sector. These will help to checkmate the vulnerability of adolescents to trafficking in Nigeria.  

School counsellors will be equipped based on the findings of the study to formulate, strategize and implement relevant guiding principles and counselling techniques that will help eliminate incidence of child trafficking among secondary school students in Nigeria as a result of the assertiveness of the adolescents’ knowledge and attitudinal disposition towards child trafficking in Edo State. The findings of the study will make counsellors establish private counselling centres in their community so as to attend to out-of-school adolescents. In other words these centres will be located outside school environment and for adolescents not attending school where trafficking issues will be of foremost priority or concern.    

Furthermore, the study unfolded schooling, gender, location as variables that influence adolescents’ knowledge and attitude towards child trafficking which make young people sometimes susceptible to either be coerced, deceived or volunteer themselves for trafficking business, knowing the adolescents’ knowledge and attitude towards child trafficking will empower administrators formulate policies or put in place machinery that will help to reduce the problem to its barest minimum in Nigeria.

The findings will better equip policy makers in the educational sector to formulate and incorporate formidable policies in the curriculum of learning at all levels to create more awareness on the meaning and consequences of child trafficking on adolescents’. Such policies include enlightenment campaigns on assembly ground.     

Again, the findings of this study will prompt government to establish outreach counselling centres (Educational Counselling Centre) for out-of-school adolescents where they could be taught and counselled on how they could resist trafficking.

The findings of this study shall explicitly expose younger people’s knowledge and attitude towards the business of trafficking. Unraveling these will enable government, school heads/teachers, students and parents/guardians, and all stakeholders in child’s welfare to prevent trafficking in children to its barest minimum in Nigeria. 

The implementation of the findings of this study shall benefit all stakeholders especially in the educational sector such as school counsellors in knowing how better to help students in school which will eventually influence other children out-of-school through their peer group associations and wherever they find themselves in the nearest future as the knowledge gained takes them through all facet of their lives and makes them agents of change.

Scope of the Study

This Study is designed to investigate the influence of schooling, gender and location on adolescents’ knowledge of and attitude towards child trafficking in Edo State. It examined child trafficking in all its ramifications (concept, dimension purpose, consequences). It must be noted that child fostering/apprenticeship and smuggling of migrants are not within the scope of this study.  The different variables of this study are limited to schooling, gender and location as they affect the knowledge and attitude of adolescents towards child trafficking.

This study did not include junior secondary school students in Edo State because they might not be so equipped with issues under study. The study focused on senior secondary school students and their out-of-school counterparts that fall within late adolescence.  For the purpose of this study, the age limit is between 13-18 years for adolescents.

Assumption

The researcher believed that out-of-school adolescents in Edo State can read and write as result of the free basic educational scheme available up to primary school level all over the country. This assumption was correct except two respondents who could not to read and write.

Operational Definition of Terms

Adolescent: A teenager being between the ages of thirteen and eighteen years.

Attitude: A complex mental state involving beliefs, feelings, values and dispositions to act in certain ways.

Child Trafficking: Obtaining child’s consent/approval deceitfully or forcefully or normally to be recruited, harboured and transferred from the child’s domicile to another place to be exploited by another (trafficker) in prostitution or other servitude of any kind and illegal business.

Get–Rich–Quick–Syndrome: Short cut to wealth.

In-school Adolescents:  Juvenile persons (teenagers) who do attend school currently.

Knowledge: The psychological result of perception, learning and reasoning (degree of awareness).

Location: Urban and rural (geographical areas)

Out-of-school Adolescents: Juvenile persons (teenagers) who do not attend school currently.

Rural: An area outside of the Local Government Headquarters.

Urban: Local Government Headquarter (A geographical area constituting a city).

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