Challenges to Children's Rights: Experiences from Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, there have been significant legislative frameworks in order to protect the rights of children and reduce their vulnerability. However, many of the relevant child right instruments have not yet been implemented to a satisfying degree. The aim of this article is to understand the challenges that impede the effectiveness of child rights system from children's perspective. The empirical data upon which the author draws was gathered through repeated periods of qualitative fieldwork carried out in 2014/2015 with 24 children in the town of Dilla in Gedeo, southern Ethiopia. Parents, legal experts, police officers, and social workers also participated in the study. The author used informal dialogue, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions to obtain the empirical data. This study has also benefited from various secondary sources. As the study shows, negative social construct of children, culturally embedded decisions and practices, poverty and deprivation, gaps in legislative frameworks, lack of resources, coordination, and commitment among responsible actors are identified as major challenges that impede the enforcement of child rights system. Thus, it is necessary to adopt holistic approach and deal with the broader structural and social barriers that denied children what they deserve in so many ways.