Incidence of Girl-Child Defilement in Ugbighokho Community South-South Nigeria: The Way Forward

This study explores the incidence of girl-child defilement in Ugbighokho Community, South-south Nigeria. The study was guided by the ecological system perspective and the play therapy. The study pointed out some of the socio-economic factors that causes the girl-child defilement which includes, poverty, ignorance, gender inequality and the nature of child’s residence or environment where the child lives. The sample size of this study was 400 using the simple random sampling technique. The cross sectional survey method was adopted for this study. The study established that poverty was the main cause of the girl-child defilement in Ugbighokho Community. The study further revealed that social tie was the main cause for under-reporting of girl-child defilement which in turn has a far-reaching effect on the victim(s). The study therefore recommends poverty alleviation programmes as a means of generating income activities for caregivers in order to prevent them from being compromised by offenders. Received: 21 September 2021 / Accepted: 25 December 2021 / Published: 5 January 2022

Depicting the Vhavenda Women Initiation Schools and Their Cultural Practices in Limpopo Province

Growing up for many African people has been marked by rites of passage. Vhavenda girls attend various initiation schools that served as rites of passage from one stage to another. The purpose of this study was to explore the initiation schools attended by Vhavenda girls for knowledge preservation. The study is qualitative where data was collected from 15 traditional knowledge holders purposefully using interviews as a tool to collect data. The study revealed that girls attended different schools at various stages from Musevhetho, followed by Vhusha then Domba, which is divided into Tshikanda, Ludodo, and Tshilalandoima. All these schools served a critical purpose on the development of a girl child through to adulthood stage. Knowledge shared in the school covered mostly life skills and human physiology. With the introduction of formal schools, the former was discarded and labeled barbaric leaving a void and opening a door to many social challenges faced by girl children within the Vhavenda community members.

Diaspora and Syncretism: Marriage Rites in Yorùbá Homeland and Abroad

The marriage institution is as old as the human race and is valued for companionship and procreation. The Yorùbá race accords great importance to this institution and has a distinctive manner of contracting its nuptials which underscores the sacredness it attaches to marriage. The importance attached to this union is evident in parents’ preparation even before the girl-child is born, including contracting a marriage proposal on her behalf. This marks the beginning of a long process that will eventually culminate in future marriage. As Yorùbá people are found all over the globe, the marital rites are transferred from the original soil to the diaspora, the result of which is the syncretic practices that are associated with marital practices abroad. This essay therefore engages in a comparative exercise, identifying marital rites in the diaspora that have maintained close ties with homeland and those that have diverged from them.

A Novel Heterozygous ANO3 Mutation in a Child Presenting Tremor with Dystonia and Review of the Literature

Mutations in ANO3 have recently been identified as an autosomal dominant cause of dystonia (dystonia-24). Since then, the phenotypic spectrum has also been extended in children. Here, we reported a case of a 10-year-old Turkish girl child patient with a novel variant (NM_001313726: c.221dupA, p.Tyr74*), who exhibited tremor with mild dystonia. This report expands the phenotype caused by ANO3 variants and reveals an essential clinical aspect for patients and medical staff.

Transforming social norms to improve girl-child health and well-being: a realist evaluation of the Girls’ Holistic Development program in rural Senegal

Background Early adolescence is a critical period where social norms, attitudes, and behaviors around gender equality form. Social norms influence adolescent choices and behaviors and are reinforced by caregivers and community members, affecting girls’ reproductive health and educational opportunities. Understanding how to shift these often-interconnected norms to delay child marriage, pregnancy and keep girls in school requires understanding of the structure and dynamics of family and community systems. The Senegalese and American non-governmental organization, the Grandmothers Project—Change through Culture, seeks to address these intertwined factors through innovative community change strategies that build on the specific structure and values of West African collectivist cultures. Methods The Girls’ Holistic Development approach in rural Vélingara, Senegal posits that by increasing recognition, knowledge and empowerment of elder community women and reinforcing intergenerational communication and decision-making, community members including girls will support and advocate on behalf of girls’ interests and desires. We assessed the Girls Holistic Development approach using Realist Evaluation with a mixed-method, quasi-experimental design with a comparison population. We examined differences in intergenerational communication, decision-making and descriptive and injunctive norms related to early marriage, pregnancy and schooling. Results After 18 months, intergenerational communication was more likely, grandmothers felt more valued in their communities, adolescent girls felt more supported with improved agency, and norms were shifting to support delayed marriage and pregnancy and keeping girls in school. Grandmothers in intervention villages were statistically significantly more likely to be perceived as influential decision-makers by both VYA girls and caregivers for marriage and schooling decisions compared to girls and caregivers in comparison villages. Conclusions This realist evaluation demonstrated shift in social norms, particularly for VYA girls, in intervention villages favoring delaying girls’ marriage, preventing early pregnancy and keeping girls in school along with increased support for and action by grandmothers to support girls and their well-being related to these same outcomes. These shifts represent greater community social cohesion on girl-child issues. This research helps explain the linkage between social norms and girls’ reproductive health and education outcomes and demonstrates that normative shifts can lead to behavior change via collective community action mechanisms.

The right to education of the refugee girl affected by armed conflict in Kenya: insights from the jurisprudence of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child provides for the protection of children in all environments. Areas that have experienced armed conflict have made the child susceptible to human rights violations including violence through sexual offences and violation of civil and political as well as socio-economic rights. An evaluation of all human rights violations cannot be done comprehensively. This article takes a thematic turn and evaluates the aspects of the right to education of the refugee girl child. It sets the tone by reflecting on the normative framework of the right to education of the refugee child at the international, regional and national levels. This is followed by a discussion of the violation of this right in situations of conflict and host States like Kenya. Drawing on the jurisprudence of the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, insights on the improvement of the enjoyment of this right are engaged. A conclusion and recommendations follow.

The Influence of Family Leadership on Girl- Child School Dropout

Family leadership is one of the vital aspects that influences and determines both the wellbeing and successful education of a girl-child. Unfortunately, the role of family leadership in ensuring girls' education is oversimplified into getting girls enrolled in school rather than warranting their perseverance in learning and successful completion. As a result, many communities in Tanzania, especially those in rural and marginalized areas are experiencing persistent girl–child school dropouts. It is against this standpoint that we sought to find out how family leadership may influence secondary school girls’ dropouts. We also explored possible measures which should be employed to eliminate girl-child school dropouts. In conducting this study, we employed a mixed research approach and convergent parallel design. We collected data through interviews and questionnaires involving 143 respondents including girl students, teachers, heads of schools, and district educational officers. Our findings from this study indicate that while the government of Tanzania has made remarkable efforts to ensure girls’ continuity and successful completion of secondary education, there are a number of factors hindering girls’ continuity and completion of secondary education. Weak family leadership, the improper raising of the children, less emphasis and interest on the importance of girls’ education, limited cooperation between family leadership were among the reason for continuous girl-child school dropout. Hence, based on our findings and the significance of girl’s education as well as the role which parents should play in ensuring girls achievement of education, we appeal to various educational leaders, to make strategic efforts in raising more awareness among rural and marginalized communities about the importance of educating girls and the role of family leadership in bringing to an end the phenomena of girl-child school dropout which is catastrophic to the long-awaited sustainable development. Moreover, we call upon all parents, to make intentional efforts in mentoring and influencing girls to strive towards achieving formal education

Imaging findings in Fetus-in-fetu-misdiagnosed commonly as teratoma

Fetus in fetu is a rare condition associated with abnormal embryogenesis in a diamniotic, monochorionic pregnancy, wherein one of the fetus is enclosed within the body of another normally developing fetus. It should be differentiated from a teratoma because of the later’s malignant potential. Here we report a case of 2 months old girl child who presented with complaints of abdominal distension. USG showed a solid cystic retroperitoneal mass resembling an anencephalic fetus. Contrast enhanced Computed tomography (CT) showed similar findings with visualization of bones resembling femur, sacrum and vertebrae. Findings were correlated with MRI and post-op pathology. The preoperative diagnosis of FIF is based on the observation of vertebral column or limbs in a mass on imaging modalities and our case meets the required criteria.