# Multilevel correlates of childhood violence in refugee settings: findings from the Ethiopia humanitarian violence against children and youth survey

## TL;DR

This study finds that one in three children in Ethiopian refugee camps experienced violence, with risk factors including being an orphan or having a disability.

## Contribution

The study identifies unique correlates of childhood violence in Ethiopian refugee settings, offering new insights for humanitarian interventions.

## Key findings

- About one in three children in refugee camps in Ethiopia experienced childhood violence.
- Being an orphan, having a disability, or witnessing intimate partner violence increased the likelihood of childhood violence.
- Community-level exposure to violent attacks was associated with higher rates of childhood violence.

## Abstract

Despite their right to protection, children in refugee settings face various forms of violence, including physical, sexual, and emotional violence.

This study examined the factors associated with childhood violence (before turning 18) in refugee settings of Ethiopia, guided by the socioecological framework.

The study used data from the 2024 Ethiopia Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS). This cross-sectional survey included females and males aged 13–24 years. We estimated a mixed-effects regression model to examine the correlates associated with experiencing violence in childhood in the refugee camps by taking into account camp-level clustering.

The study involved a total of 3473 respondents (1937 females and 1536 males) and revealed that about one in three (33.3%; 95% CI: 27.5, 39.6) had experienced childhood violence; the highest proportion 29.1% [23.1,35.9] reported experiencing physical violence, followed by emotional violence (12.4% [8.5,17.8]) and sexual violence (6.6% [5.3,8.1]). Correlates of experiencing childhood violence included being an orphan, having any form of disability, witnessing intimate partner violence against women, and having family members who were killed or died unnaturally. In contrast, households headed by women and children living in families with two or more rooms, had a lower likelihood of experiencing childhood violence. At the community level, witnessing violent attacks in the village was associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing childhood violence.

Childhood violence is prevalent in refugee settings in Ethiopia and is associated with factors occurring at multiple levels, suggesting for individual-, household-, and community - level prevention and response strategies.

Main findings: Childhood violence was more likely to happen among children who are orphaned, with disability, involved in intimate relationships, witnessed intimate violence against women at home, and exposed to past or recent violence.Added knowledge: The study generated peculiar attributes of childhood violence in the refugee contexts in Ethiopia, which provide new insights into prevention and response efforts towards childhood violence, that have not been adequately addressed in the humanitarian context. Global health impact for policy and action: Given that about 40 million people are living in refugee settings, of which about half of them are children, the evidence from this study is important for guiding the design of effective approaches to prevent and respond to childhood violence and is relevant for addressing different global and regional initiatives fighting against this pervasive problem.

Main findings: Childhood violence was more likely to happen among children who are orphaned, with disability, involved in intimate relationships, witnessed intimate violence against women at home, and exposed to past or recent violence.

Added knowledge: The study generated peculiar attributes of childhood violence in the refugee contexts in Ethiopia, which provide new insights into prevention and response efforts towards childhood violence, that have not been adequately addressed in the humanitarian context.

Global health impact for policy and action: Given that about 40 million people are living in refugee settings, of which about half of them are children, the evidence from this study is important for guiding the design of effective approaches to prevent and respond to childhood violence and is relevant for addressing different global and regional initiatives fighting against this pervasive problem.