Opportunities and Challenges of Child Protection Program in Responding To Child Maltreatment: The Case of One-Stop Center at Jimma University Medical Center, Jimma City, Oromia

Abstract

The notion of protecting the rights of children has got little attention throughout the world till the ratification of the CRC. Following the ratification of CRC, many African countries including Ethiopia applied system approach to ensure the protection of child right and protect child abuse. Despite the fact that academic study of the social, economic, political and cultural challenges of the system approach to responding to child maltreatment is important. Child maltreatment still remained complex problem with no single cause and no single solution Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the challenges and opportunities of child protection program in responding to child maltreatment with particular emphasis on one stop center (OSC) at Jimma university medical center, Jimma city, Oromia. The main objective of the study is to investigate challenges and opportunities of child protection program of OSC in Jimma University medical center. The ecological system theory is used as a theoretical framework to guide the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Likewise, a qualitative research method was employed to collect data. The findings of the study were analyzed using thematic analysis. The result of the study show that, there were good start in creating platform at one stop center of Jimma University Medical center to provide different services including medical services, psycho-social support and legal aids with free charge to victims of child maltreatment. In addition, child protection program is working on strengthening social protection of children though awareness creation. However, this study revealed that, enormous challenges faced the child protection program/system at study area. These challenges includes; luck of government budget, poverty in the community, low economic status of family, cultures, social norms, values, beliefs, and socialization which support violence. Finally, based on the finding of the study, it is concluded that the different mechanisms such as: building self help group, community approach, media campaigns should be devised by the One Stop center Child Protection program to cope with challenges face child protection program/system response to child maltreatment at study area.