• Beyond Survival, Unseen Health, Psychological Toll Of Manipulating Sick Children For Begging

Children are increasingly roaming the streets of Nigeria, begging at a time they should be in school. This is despite government’s laws, including the Child Rights Act of 2003, designed to protect children from exploitation and all forms of abuse. This phenomenon is a clear violation of children’s rights, depriving them of their dignity, education, and safety, GBENGA SALAU reports.

In many cities across Nigeria, it is not uncommon to see young children or minors being used to beg. From Lagos to Kano, Onitsha to Jos, Port Harcourt to Abuja, you’re sure to see either children strapped to the back of adults or placed at popular public centres such as markets or traffic intersections, where large numbers of people walk through. Even though these children ought to be in school at the period they are being used as tools for begging.

There are others, who are sick or suffering from one physical ailment, but rather than be in hospital wards receiving care, they are displayed at strategic locations across different cities, exposing them to the harsh realities of the streets, as their caregiver used them to solicit for money.

Yet Nigeria has laws and frameworks designed to protect children, including the Child Rights Act of 2003, which prohibits child trafficking, child labour, and exploitation. Despite these laws, the practice of using children for begging has become thriving enterprise.

The Guardian findings revealed that many of those who move these children around cities sometimes along with their parents or their consent only exploit and extort the children as they do not provide care for these children with the money raised through begging.

Narrating his experience, Obi Benjamin revealed that his cousin was sick and one of these groups came to meet him that they could help her raise fund to treat the child’s ailment, elephantiasis.

Benjamin said they initially moved the child and her mother to Abuja; from there they went to Jos, Port Harcourt and one other city. He said from the narration his cousin’s wife provided after the child died, they kept saying the money they have was not enough, as they moved from one city to another and the mother was not even in charge of the money being collected from street donors.

“At a point, they asked her to return home with the child. All she got was transport money back home after spending about three weeks moving from one location to another. She revealed that sometimes they stayed overnight in open spaces especially if the money generated through begging for the day is not much from her own estimation since she was not allowed access to the money.”

And there are many occurrences like this, including incidents of renting of new born and minors with the intent of using them to beg. In 2021, a rights group, Supreme Family Entertainment International Initiative, Hemni Andrew,rescued about 13 sick children and three women transported from Benue State for alms begging in the Egbeda area of Lagos State.

There was also a reported case of one Mrs Happiness Emmanuel; a mother, who loaned out one of her children for begging to one Mrs. Blessing Ubom. She often got a paltry N1,500 as compensation from Ubom whenever she returned from her begging trips.
Also, recently, there was a viral video of an unidentified woman, who displayed ‘triplets’ covered from head to toe on the Ikeja Along pedestrian bridge for begging.

The woman caused a stir when she could not show a proof that she was the biological mother of the kids. Another of such women, Mrs. Adiza Umoru, was arrested in Costain area when she could not provide evidence she was the mother of the twins being used to beg.

However, rather than the incident reducing, many more children are being used by the day despite several laws meant to protect children from abuse and exploitation.

While noting that there are various forms of child abuse ranging from physical violence, sexual violence, neglect as well as exploitation, the Executive Director, Glowing Splints Development Initiatives, Stella Francis, stated that using children for street begging is a form of exploitation and neglect.

She added that it is a widespread issue in many developing countries such as Nigeria and considered a violation of children’s rights, maintaining that the practice is often driven by poverty, lack of education, cultural factors, and weak enforcement of child protection laws.

“Forcing a child, especially a sick one to beg on the street is a violation of the child’s right. Every child has certain rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child or the Child Rights Act. Such violations can be the right of the child to education, right to protection from exploitation, right to health, right to dignity and freedom, etc, under the provisions and articles of the law.

“For children with health issues, using their condition to elicit sympathy and money violates their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), particularly the right to protection from exploitation and abuse.”
In a study, the Centre for Human Rights and Development revealed that children involved in begging often suffer from physical injuries owing to their exposure to hazardous environments, with approximately 15 per cent of street children reported to have experienced accidents, including being hit by vehicles.

Also, a study by The International Labour Organization (ILO), in 2020, revealed that 17 per cent of children involved in begging across West Africa, including Nigeria, reported being victims of sexual abuse or exploitation while begging on the streets.

Corroborating the studies’ findings, Professor Olubunmi Ajayi, a child development specialist at the Obafemi Awolowo University, noted that children begging on the streets are prone to minor or major accidents easily.

“They can be knocked down by vehicle, motorbikes or run over by mob actions. They are prone to different forms of physical abuse. They may be hit by their master or by passers-by they approach for alms. They can be slapped, kicked, or punched and the worse, they can be burned if they refuse to dance to the tune of the people around them.

“Also, they can be verbally abused by being cursed. Again, they can be sexually molested, irrespective of sex. It is not only the girl-child that can be sexually abused; the boy-child is also prone to sexual molestation. Another serious physical risk that children begging around can experience is contracting infection from exposure to poor sanitation conditions, such as areas where there is an outbreak of cholera.

“Children begging can go hungry if nobody responds to their request. If typical children with no ailments whatsoever can experience these physical risks in the process of begging, how much more children with one ailment or the other.” It is also common to see children who have one form of ailment or disability being displayed on streets to beg for money.

Speaking on how using sick children to beg could further complicate or worsen their existing health conditions, Francis stated that having a sick child under the sun while being used to beg is highly detrimental to the physical and emotional wellbeing of such a child.

“Definitely, the condition of such a child will take a down turn for the worse. A simple case of malaria can develop to meningitis or high fever and eventually death. No child deserves such treatment.

“These children are exposed to different forms of trauma. It is traumatic for a child to be subject to earning a living for his or her parents on the street while his or her mates are in school learning and preparing for a great future. Children should be allowed to be children and not a tool for economic survival. Invariably, these children develop low self-esteem and lack of confidence.”

On her part, the professor of child development, Ajayi, noted that it is rather pathetic that people take advantage of sick children to engage in begging, stating that such children are supposed to be in healthcare facilities not on the streets to appeal to the emotions of people.

“The negative effects on the child will outweigh the monetary gain that may accrue from the act. For instance, exposing a sick child to sunlight for a long time can result in dehydration. This may lead to some other health issues such as constant headaches, skin cancer, kidney infection and kidney stones. Other issues that may ensue from long exposure of a sick child to sunlight are dizziness, excessive sweating, heatstroke, sunburn, eye problem as a result of long stay in the sun and many other sun- related issues.”

It is, therefore, not surprising that a report in 2021 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on child malnutrition in West Africa indicated that around 35 per cent of street children in Nigeria are severely malnourished, with malnutrition contributing to the worsening of pre-existing health conditions like tuberculosis and respiratory infections.

Also worthy to mention is the summary of a report by UNICEF that approximately 30 per cent of children in Nigeria who are exposed to begging activities experience long-term mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.

Another report in 2020 by UNICEF also stated that approximately 30 per cent of children who beg on the streets in Nigeria suffer from chronic illnesses, including respiratory conditions, malaria, and gastrointestinal infections, which are worsened by exposure to unsanitary conditions and lack of proper healthcare.

A 2019 study by Save the Children reported that around 12 per cent of street children who suffer from chronic illnesses or conditions like malnutrition, asthma, or tuberculosis are more likely to die prematurely, largely due to the lack of access to medical care and living in unsanitary conditions.

Sick children used for begging not only suffer from physical health problems but also face severe psychological stress. According to UNICEF, over 40 per cent of children who beg on Nigerian streets experience severe emotional distress, including anxiety and depression, which are significantly worsened for sick children.

A report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) found that children with health issues who beg on the streets are at a 22 per cent higher risk of sexual abuse or exploitation compared to healthy children.

A study by Human Rights Watch in 2022 indicated that 15 per cent of children involved in begging in Nigeria suffer from permanent disabilities. Commenting, Ajayi said research has shown that majority of children begging do it involuntarily, which means they are being coerced into doing so by someone or group of people.

“The implication is that it is not of their volition to engage in such act. In the light of this, it has a grave effect on the psychological well-being of the children. A child that is exposed to begging would have the feeling of worthlessness, especially when he/she sees peers going to school. That feeling will build up for life in such a child; hence the child would develop a low self-esteem. The child would experience shame and humiliation; such child may start isolating self from others, and if that continues, depression can set in. Research has established that forced begging is a determinant of adverse mental health and children are not exempted from adverse mental health.”

The exploitation of children for begging often leads to lack of access to education, depriving them the opportunity to develop crucial skills for the future.
A report from UNICEF estimates that 47 per cent of Nigerian street children who beg never attend school or drop out early, which impacts their intellectual, emotional, and social development, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and marginalisation.

According to a report by the World Bank in 2020, children who beg, especially those who start at an early age, have a 40 per cent lower chance of achieving basic literacy by the age of 12 compared to children who attend school regularly.

UNICEF in 2021 also stated that over 60 per cent of street children in Nigeria who are girls are less likely to receive an education, as they are often engaged in begging at an earlier age.

Furthermore, a 2020 report by UNESCO noted that about 40 per cent of children in Nigeria who are supposed to be in primary school, according to the country’s education laws, are not enrolled, with many of them being used for begging.

A 2021 study by Human Rights Watch revealed that about 30 per cent of children involved in begging in Nigerian cities, such as Lagos and Kano, reported that they were occasionally enrolled in school but missed up to 50 per cent of school days due to their begging duties.

The CEO of Ceceyara Foundation, Mrs. Bisi Ajayi observed that when a child is exploited for any reason, it has adverse and negative impact on the child, in all aspects of a child’s life from education, health, physical growth, relationship, cognitive, behavioural and social exposure.

“While some children may turn out to be geniuses who can thrive under certain conditions no matter how harsh, the nexus between a good and healthy lifestyle and great academic performance cannot be ignored. One of the crucial and most important aspects of a man’s life is the childhood period. It is an explorative, sensitive, fun and learning period.

“A child who is on the streets begging almost half of the time will lose out on educational essence, life lessons he or she is supposed to pick at that prime time. The possibility of the child benign backwards compared to his peers,” she stated.

The World Bank, in 2019, reported that 40 per cent of children who beg in Nigeria perform poorly on cognitive development tests compared to their peers who are enrolled in school.

Similarly, a 2019 report by Save the Children found that children engaged in begging are 50 per cent more likely to die prematurely due to untreated medical conditions, malnutrition, and the exposure to hazardous environments.

Francis noted that the practice of using children to beg perpetuates the cycle of poverty, bearing in mind that such children are denied access to education to improve their future prospects, thereby limiting their chances of having a productive future. She added that exposing these children to harsh health conditions also reduces their productivity and lifespan

“Many children are coerced or trafficked into begging, and the money they earn often goes to exploiters, leaving them and their families trapped in poverty.
“In the long run this practice has negative social implications ranging from intergenerational poverty, social inequalities and increased crime rates.
It is vital to ensure that every child enjoys the right to education, protection, and a safe childhood.”

Also, the professor of child development, Ajayi, stated it is really demoralising that people continue to believe that using children to beg or even begging generally can break the cycle of poverty.

“It is a blatant lie; rather it strengthens and elongates the cycle. It has long-term social implications not only on the individual, but also on the society as a whole. On the individuals perpetrating the act, aside from the short- term relief they get from people, it is not a lasting solution.

“It only gives them momentary satisfaction. Also, there will be total dependence on the act; instead of searching for permanent and productive employment. It also encourages laziness as they are getting some gratifications from the act; they are contented going into it again and again. There had been cases where the children were taking to schools, they did not stay rather they went back to the streets; hence it may be difficult get people that would help them.

“On the society, it is a menace that does not portray the society well. Poverty will continue to wreck the society because the future generations of the society’s workforce are begging around instead of going to school for better tomorrow or engaging in productive work. No wonder, Nigeria is rated among countries with high rate of poverty.

“Another social implication is that there will be increase in health issues in the society, thereby, causing the country to budget unnecessarily on health issues that are avoidable.

“It has to be emphasised that child begging is a violation of the rights of children, irrespective of who they are or any disabilities.” And the positions of Ajayi and Francis are buttressed by a 2021 UNICEF report, which stated that 70 per cent of street children involved in begging remain trapped in poverty as adults, unable to secure stable jobs or gain economic independence due to the lack of education and skills.

On measures to protect children from exploitation, the CEO of Ceceyara Foundation, Ajayi, suggested strengthening the laws on child protection and its enforcement, stating that governments across levels must enforce strict anti-trafficking and child protection laws, implement strict penalties for those exploiting children for begging.

She also suggested that awareness campaigns must be deployed to educate communities and society about the harm caused by child begging as well as encourage people not to give money directly but to support legitimate organisations and individuals.

According to Ajayi, efforts must also be geared towards creating safe spaces and rehabilitation centres for rescued children and offer financial and social assistance to families in poverty to prevent them from resorting to child exploitation.

She further stated that access to education and skills development must be improved to provide free education, vocational training, and scholarship programmes that can help break the cycle of poverty and exploitation.

National Project Manager, Action against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa, (ACLAWA), Agatha Kolawole, suggested that one way the government can check child beggars is to pass the Labour Standard bill that has been pending for about two decades because it has stringent penalties for offenders.

“Most importantly, the Labour Standard bill provides for the enforcement of the hazardous work list of which child begging is one of them. Child begging has been identified as an hazardous work children should not be engaged in.”

Lagos is one of the states child begging is very rampant. Commenting on the issue, Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, said the state Ministry of Youth and Social Development has a rescue operations unit under its rehabilitation department with the mandate to remove beggars/destitute from the streets of Lagos.

“This operation runs 24/7, ensuring a continuous effort to address street begging. On the average, about five children are rescued daily and placed in government homes, where they receive proper care, education, and counselling.
He revealed that about 320 parents/guardians were prosecuted by the mobile court to serve as a deterrent to others.

“Despite the ministry’s significant efforts at curbing street begging, the issue persists. Many individuals engaged in begging perceiving it as a way of life and a primary means of livelihood.

“As a result, some of them return to the streets after being rescued. Additionally, the continuous influx of people into Lagos State, including children arriving with no clear purpose, further complicates the situation. Many of these individuals eventually resort to begging, taking advantage of the generosity of Lagos residents.

“Over the past year, the Ministry has successfully rescued 105 child beggars from the streets of Lagos, demonstrating its commitment to addressing this social challenge,” Ogunlende stated.

Speaking on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ahmed Muhammad Adam, an information officer, stated that ministry is doing its best but it does not have the power of enforcement of the law that prohibits use of children for begging.