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Background:
Orphans (children who have lost one or both of their biological parents) and separated
children (children who lack the care and protection of their parents or legal guardian), suffer
social and psychological consequences from this separation. They both lack family structure
and social support, leading to poor health, limited educational opportunities and the related
lifelong socio-economic challenges. They are more vulnerable than children with parents
because of their lack of health care and education, food insecurity, physical insecurity and
community stigma against them all of which affects their well-being. This study was aimed
to explore the key causes of this problem from potential stakeholders, identify policy issues
and provide recommendations for improvement.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to determine magnitude, causes, and challenges of orphans and
separated children, evaluate inadequacies and provide alternatives to existing policies
concerning orphans and separated children in urban Moshi Tanzania 2016.
Methodology:
This was a cross-sectional study design conducted in urban Moshi from June 2016 to July
2016 Data was collected through direct interviews with key stakeholders and responses were
noted down in notebooks. Thematic framework analysis was used to analyze the data. Data
were presented based on emerging themes.
Results:
A total of six key stakeholders were involved in this study. The reported magnitude of OSC
was 535 (five hundred thirty five) those living in children homes. The causes of orphanhood
included HIV/AIDS pandemic, road traffic accidents and poverty (that influence
mainly male parents to abandon their families).Conversely the reported factors that
increases the number of separated children were child abuse, peer pressure, family
instability and poverty. Once exposed to this vulnerability, they are both facing challenges
like limited food, lack of physical security - homelessness, inadequate healthcare,
inadequate education support, sexual abuse and stigma. The policies in place had delayed
implementation due to understaffed social welfare, inadequate government support to OSC
and social welfare as well as NGOS taking care of OSC.
Conclusion:
To improve the well being of OSC, the Tanzanian government should ensure that policies in place
are clearly outlined so that they can be easily implemented. The government also needs to raise
public awareness about children's rights at the community level with a focus on the caregivers of
OSC. Non-monetary incentives such as food and school materials could be provided to households
raising OSC during educational programs for child rights as these would serve as motivation to
attend the workshops as well as relieving the caretakers’ burden on raising the OSC. In addition,
Tanzania has a shortage of social workers in many districts including urban Moshi which affects
timely policy implementation. The government could divert more of the budget to training and
funding more social workers to accelerate the implementation of the policies in place. |
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