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Citation |
Akhilomen DO. Studies in World Christianity 2006; 12(3): 235-248. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2006, Edinburgh University Press) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
unavailable |
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Abstract |
Child abuse can be defined as 'an intentional or neglectful physical or emotional injury imposed on a child, including sexual molestation.' (Garner 1999:10) Child abuse violates the United Nation Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989 and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the African Child. This evil, which is also considered offensive to any genuine Christian conscience, is becoming very common in many villages, towns and cities in Southern Nigeria. In this paper, using phenomenological and hermeneutical methods, attempt is made to highlight the major types of child abuses in Southern Nigeria, identify the factors encouraging the trend, examine generally the attitude of the churches in this regard and prescribe more child friendly attitudes and practices for the church in Nigeria. |