Social Contexts and Community Initiatives on Student' Justification of Child Trafficking for Financial Gains: Evidence from a Multi-State Survey in Nigeria

Mojisola Sodeinde, International Centre For Migration Policy Development
Akanni I. Akinyemi, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
Tosin Oni, Obafemi Awolowo University
Oluseun Adejugbe, The Challenge Initiative
Oladimeji Ogunoye, Obafemi Awolowo University
Ivanka Hainzl, International Centre for Migration Policy Development
Oluwatobiloba Shadare, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
Rhoda Johnson, International Centre for Migration Policy Development
Adeniyi Bakre, International Centre for Migration Policy Development

Child trafficking thrives in some part of Nigeria despite the numerous state and non-state efforts in curbing the menace. This continues to thrive partly due to some entrenched sociocultural and economic reasons. We implemented a RAPID assessment to examine how parental activities and school/community initiatives influence child trafficking in selected communities in Nigeria. The study was conducted in five states with the highest incidences of child-trafficking in 2023. A multi-stage sampling was used to select 550 participants from 50 secondary schools spread across rural and urban settlements. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from students, and interviews were conducted to obtain responses from teachers, parents, and members of community-based organizations. The results show that 24.5% of students justified trafficking for financial gain. Students whose parents did use child labour and who were financially dependent on family members had a 56% and 63% higher likelihood to justify child-trafficking, respectively. Students attending schools where activities were dedicated to educating students about trafficking issues were 25% likely to justify trafficking. Students from communities with a reporting system in place were also less likely to justify trafficking. Evidence-based efforts to target the characteristics that make students justify trafficking for financial gains are recommended.

Keywords: Migrant Populations and Refugees, International Migration, Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Big data

See extended abstract.