By Blessing Chinagorom
The United Nations International Children Funds (UNICEF) has estimated that about 400 million children under 5 or 6 to 10 age group globally undergone psychological aggression or physical punishment at home while around 330 million of them are punished by physical means.
According to the Agency’s new findings which also emphasized the crucial role of play in children’s development and mental health of children, parents, and caregivers in response to data that highlights prevalence of inadequate caregiving, including stimulation and interaction at home.
This findings released on the first ever International Day of Play revealed that globally harmful social norms that underpin violent childrearing methods persist, with slightly more than 1 in 4 mothers, primary caregivers indicating that physical punishment is necessary to raise and educate children properly.
UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell in her reaction said when children subjected to physical or verbal abuse at home, or when they are deprived of social and emotional care from their loved ones, it can undermine their sense of self-worth and development.
“Nurturing and playful parenting can bring joy and also help children feel safe, learn, build skills, and navigate the world around them”. On the first International Day of Play, we must unite, recommit to ending violence against children and promoting positive, nurturing, and playful caregiving,” UNICEF Boss added.
Report has it that more countries are prohibiting physical punishment against children in the home and half of the 66 countries that have banned the practice have enacted legislation within the past 15 years, but this still leaves half billion children under the age of 5 without adequate legal protection.
The data also underscored disparities in caregiving practices and access to play opportunities. For example, new estimates show that approximately 4 in 10 children aged 2-4 years do not get enough responsive interaction or stimulation at home.
Meaning they may experience emotional neglect, a sense of detachment, insecurity, and behavioural issues that can persist into adulthood while 1 in 10 misses out activities with their caregivers that are critical to promoting cognitive, social, and emotional development, like reading, storytelling, singing, and drawing.
Studies showed that evidence-based parenting programmes improve caregiving, reduce family violence and maltreatment, and enhance the mental health of children and parents. These programmes include coaching on positive approaches, building strong parent-child relationships, supporting play, nonviolent discipline, and communication.
To ensure every child grows up feeling safe and loved, the UNICEF has called on the governments to strengthen efforts and investment in: Protection: Strengthening legal and policy frameworks that prohibit and end all forms of violence against children in the home;
Parenting support: Scaling up evidence- based parenting programmes that promote positive, playful approaches, and prevent family violence; Playful learning: Expanding access to learning, play spaces for children, including preschools, schools, and playgrounds.
Today, 11 June 2024, UNICEF and partners will mark the first-ever International Day of Play (IDOP) at the UN Headquarters in New York, featuring a high-level forum, a play installation and experience, and a pre-k classroom learning through play.
IDOP underscores the crucial role of play in human development across cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth, while spotlighting barriers to play like harmful practices, disabilities, gender discrimination, conflict, and learning poverty.
The new estimates of violent discipline are based on a subset of 100 countries with internationally comparable data between 2010 and 2023 covering 52 per cent of the global population of children under 5.
The estimates of attitudes towards corporal punishment are based on a subset of 93 countries with internationally comparable data between 2008 and 2023 covering around 50 per cent of the global female population aged 15 to 49 years.
The estimates of caregiving and availability of toys/playthings are based on a subset of 85 countries with internationally comparable data between 2010 and 2023 as well as national studies covering 57 per cent of the global population of children aged 2-4 years and 56 per cent of the global population of children under 5, respectively.
