Frontline practitioners’ perspective of the implementation of child protection laws and prevention of violence against children in Maputo, Mozambique

TL;DR

This study explores how frontline workers in Mozambique experience implementing child protection laws and what challenges and supports they face.

Contribution

It provides new insights into frontline practitioners' experiences in child protection law enforcement in sub-Saharan Africa.

Findings

Barriers include limited resources, weak collaboration, and sociocultural norms.

Child protection services rely heavily on support from non-governmental organizations.

Facilitators include resource support and new multisectoral mechanisms.

Abstract

Frontline practitioners play a crucial role in the implementation and enforcement of child protection laws. Yet, studies on how they experience applying those laws are scarce, not least in the sub-Saharan Africa region where rates of violence against children are persistently high.

This study provides an insight into the views of frontline practitioners in the implementation and enforcement of child protection laws, with a focus on what they experience as barriers and facilitators.

Interviews were conducted with 17 frontline practitioners from child protection services in Maputo City, Mozambique’s capital. The interviews addressed barriers, facilitators, gender norms and attitudes and forms of violence. Audio recorded interviews were transcribed, translated, and thematically analysed.

The results resolved around two overarching themes: 1) barriers to the implementation and enforcement of child protection laws, including system-related deficiencies (material, human and organizational); Law related shortcomings (gaps in the content and constraints); and sociocultural norms and attitudes perpetuating violence. 2) facilitators to the implementation and enforcement of child protection laws, including access to resource support from non-governmental organisations and newly established multisectoral mechanism for responding to violence.

Effective implementation and enforcement of child protection laws in Mozambique requires adequate resource allocation and funding to strength child protection services. It may also be necessary to enhance multisectoral coordination and harmonization of child protection laws. Furthermore, adapted evidence-based interventions from the WHO INSPIRE framework may help to improve both the prevention and response to violence against children.

Main findings: The implementation and enforcement of child protection laws to protect children is hampered by barriers related to limited resources of all kinds, weak collaboration and not well-integrated child protection services, gaps in the legislation and sociocultural norms. Child protection services in Maputo City rely on support from non-governmental organizations.

Added knowledge: This qualitative study provides knowledge on experiences of frontline practitioners in the implementation and enforcement of child protection laws, as well as evidence-based for interventions to strengthen child protection services and improve the performance of frontline practitioners.

Global health impact for policy and action: Findings from this study highlight the need for national governments of Mozambique and other sub-Saharan African countries to take accountability for the development of holistic and transparent child protection systems by increasing investments and harmonising current child protection legislation with international standards.