11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Cases of child abuse, abandoned infants, child prostitution, and physically dangerous child labor practices remained common ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 19940]

"Cases of child abuse, abandoned infants, child prostitution, and physically dangerous child labor practices remained common throughout the country. The government criticized child abuse and neglect but did not undertake any significant measures to stop traditional practices harmful to children, such as the sale of young girls into marriage. There were credible reports that poor families sold their daughters into marriage as a means to supplement their incomes. Young girls sometimes were forced into marriage as soon as they reached puberty, regardless of age, to prevent the "indecency" associated with premarital sex or for other cultural and religious reasons. Human rights groups reported sexual assaults and rapes of young girls, especially in the north."

Document(s): Open document

10.12.2007 - Source: Integrated Regional Information Network

6 million children are estimated to be at risk of trafficking for domestic and forced labour, prostitution and pornography every year ("Stepping up the fight against child-trafficking") [ID 22643]

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Government did not undertake any significant measures to stop child abuse ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46036],  [ID 17420]

"Cases of child abuse, abandoned infants, child prostitution, and physically harmful child labor practices remained common throughout the country (see sections 5, Trafficking, and 6.d.). The government criticized child abuse and neglect but did not undertake any significant measures to stop customary practices harmful to children, such as the sale of young girls into marriage. There were credible reports that poor families sold their daughters into marriage as a means to supplement their incomes. Young girls sometimes were forced into marriage as soon as they reached puberty, regardless of age, to prevent the "indecency" associated with premarital sex or for other cultural and religious reasons. Human rights groups reported an increase in sexual assaults and rapes of young girls, especially in the north, and attributed the increase to a fear of AIDS and a resulting desire for young virgins free of AIDS or other sexually transmitted disease. Numerous children were homeless and lived on the streets. According to the Consortium for Street Children there were no known statistics on numbers of street children in the country. Major factors that caused children to turn to the streets included instability in the home, poverty, hunger, abuse and violence by parents, and displacement caused by clashes in the community. AIDS also had a tremendous impact on the numbers of orphaned street children. FGM was commonly performed on girls in all parts of the country (see section 5, Women)."

Document(s): Open document

11.09.2003 - Source: BBC News

A Nigerian boy tortured, evicted from his family home and is still hunted down by members of his family, who accused him of witchcraft/ in the recent past many children disappeared after being accused of being witches ("Plight of Nigerian 'wizard' boy") [#16050],  [ID 15210]

""In the northern Nigerian state of Taraba, for instance, some parents have been threatening to withdraw their children from school.

According to them, children attending nursery, primary and even secondary schools, are being initiated into witchcraft and cultism.

They say that the practice is not acceptable to them and that it is "safer to have an illiterate child than one deeply engrossed in witchcraft".

And, this is a typical scenario in virtually all the 36 states of Nigeria.

Every day new stories related to witches and witchcraft emerge.

One such case, in the northern Nigerian city of Kaduna, gives an insight into how superstition has gripped many people.

In the suburb of Nasarawa I met Mbawo. His family had thrown him out of his home after he was accused of witchcraft.""

Document(s): Open document