AN EXPLORATION OF CHILD HAWKING IN MAJOR CITIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The prevalence of child hawking is the most pervasive violation of children’srights in many African countries, particularly in Nigeria. It is a practice that abuses the rightsand privileges of the child. Hawking exposes a child to many dangers. This paper exploredchild hawking in major cities in Nigeria. This theoretical study revealed that illiteracy, poverty,broken homes, unemployment and the death of parents are factors contributing to the menaceof child hawking in Nigeria. The paper revealed that hawking poses serious health challengesto a child, with the risk of being sexually molested, in addition to affecting his/her educationaldevelopment. The authors concluded that more advice should be given on the danger ofhawking. Parents should be supported by developing alternative income streams to reducereliance on child hawking. The paper further recommended genuine empowerment of familiesthrough cash transfers and other social security initiatives that can strengthen the finances ofparents. The paper further recommended that the government address the problem of poverty,especially in rural areas.