Inclusion of children with disabilities in child protection mechanisms in Malawi and Uganda

Introduction: There is increasing evidence that children with disabilities may be at higher risk of violence compared to their peers without disabilities. However, little is known about the extent to which children with... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction: There is increasing evidence that children with disabilities may be at higher risk of violence compared to their peers without disabilities. However, little is known about the extent to which children with disabilities are included in child protection mechanisms – which are an essential part of any country’s response efforts to address and prevent child maltreatment.

To fill this gap in the evidence base, qualitative research was conducted in Malawi and Uganda to explore the extent to which children with disabilities are included in community-based child protection mechanisms, including identifying any barriers and enablers that may impede or support full and equal access. This research was supported by Plan International, a leading international development organisation working with children in over 50 LMICs.

Methods: In each site, purposive selection of 20 children with disabilities was undertaken to produce a representative sample by impairment type, gender and those in and out of school. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with children with disabilities and their caregivers were used to explore their knowledge, understanding and experience of the available child protection mechanisms in their setting. Interviews with key stakeholders were also conducted for contextual background. Interview transcripts were coded using NVivo 10 and a thematic approach was used for analysis.

Findings: this research emphasizes the perspectives of children with disabilities and their families – important, but, particularly for the former, often side-lined voices. Violence in a range of settings (home, school, community) was found to be a common experience for children with disabilities, while a range of attitudinal, financial, physical and policy barriers are impeding access to available child protection structures. Notably, children with disabilities have little direct access, particularly for those who are out of school.

Conclusions: Although children with disabilities reported frequent experiences of violence, inclusion in existing child-protection mechanisms is minimal.