ASSESSMENT OF PROTECTION SERVICES FOR MALTREATED CHILDREN AT THE ONE-STOP CENTER IN HAWASSA UNIVERSITY COMPREHENSIVE SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL

ADDIS ZENA BIRRU; SIMEGN WOLDE YOHANNES

doi:10.22159/ijhs.2025v13.IJHS_53241

Authors

ADDIS ZENA BIRRU Department of Sociology, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hawassa University, Ethiopia
SIMEGN WOLDE YOHANNES Department of Sociology, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hawassa University, Ethiopia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijhs.2025v13.IJHS_53241

Keywords:

One -top center, Child protection services, Child abuse, Hawassa University Specialized Hospital, Qualitative approach

Abstract

The global establishment and growth of One-Stop Health Centers (OSCs) have significantly increased, despite a lack of comprehensive evaluation of their efficacy or implementation. This study aims to examine the services provided for abused children and the associated factors at the recently established one-stop child protection center at Hawassa University Specialized Hospital. Utilizing a cross-sectional narrative design with a qualitative approach, the study included six in-depth interviewees who are parents or caregivers of victim children; eight key informant interviewees from the center, and 12 focus group discussants across two sessions. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the collected data. The findings reveal that the OSC currently offers three major services for abused children: medical, psychosocial, and legal. The primary forms of reported abuse include sexual, physical, and emotional, with many victims experiencing multiple types. The center utilizes multiple strategies to assist and protect children, prioritizing their safety through multidisciplinary approaches. It partners with relevant stakeholders for preventive and rehabilitation services. However, the center faces significant challenges in its efforts to assist abused children, primarily due to economic constraints, social stigma leading to underreporting, legal procedural obstacles, delays in apprehending offenders, and inadequate rehabilitation services. The study concludes that the institution offers key assistance for children who have encountered various forms of violence, predominantly sexual in nature. Nonetheless, budget limitations render the available programs inadequate to sufficiently address the rehabilitation and recovery requirements of all victim categories. Therefore, the study recommends enhancing its efficiency by securing additional funding through collaboration, raising community awareness to address underreporting, improving law enforcement procedure, ensuring effective rehabilitation services, and strengthening capacity-building initiatives for practitioners.

References

African Child Policy Forum. Ethiopia: At What Level is Child Protection Service? Addis Ababa: ACPF; 2013.

Barlow J, McMillan AS. Improving outcomes for children with child protection concerns who have been. Nottingham: Nottingham Trent University; 2023.

Basnet HB. Focus group discussion: A tool for qualitative inquiry. Res Res J Cult Soc 2018;3:81-8.

Bernard H. Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. 5th ed. Lanham: AltaMira Press; 2011.

Brittingham S. Birth Families and Inter Country Adoption in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia [Dissertation]. The Hague: International Institute of Social Studies; 2010.

Chomba E, Murray L, Kautzman M, Haworth A, Kasese-Bota M, Kankasa C, et al. Integration of services for victims of child sexual abuse at the university teaching hospital one-stop centre. J Trop Med 2010;2010:864760.

Creswell JW. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Approaches. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications; 2003.

Creswell JW. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications; 2007.

Deda T. Introducing Child Protection and Child Friendly Justice in a Society with Complex Socioeconomic Challenges: Experiences and Lessons from Ethiopia. Addis Ababa: Save the Children Sweden; 2011.

Gutema C. 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 [Thesis]. Jimma: Jimma University; 2020.

Huyler D, McGill CM. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. New Horiz Adult Educ Hum Resour Dev 2019;31:75-7.

Child Protection Initiative. Save the Children’s Child Protection Strategy. London: Save the Children; 2015.

Khemlani David M. Using the key informants interviews (KIIs) technique: A social sciences study with Malaysian and Pakistani respondents. Man Soc 2014;24:131-48.

Medrano T, Tabben-Toussaint A. Manual 1: Child Protection Basics, FHI 360 Child Protection Toolkit. Research Triangle Park, NC: FHI 360; 2012.

Mehta D, Kelly AB, Laurens KR, Haslam D, Williams KE, Walsh K, et al. Child maltreatment and long-term physical and mental health outcomes: An exploration of biopsychosocial determinants and implications for prevention. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2023;54:421-35.

Mekonnen K. Assessment of post rape care services in Gandhi memorial hospital Addis Ababa. J Interpers Violence 2019;8:55.

Mulambia Y, Miller AJ, MacDonald G, Kennedy N. Are one-stop centres an appropriate model to deliver services to sexually abused children in urban Malawi? BMC Pediatr 2018;18:1-7.

Mulugeta KA. Assessment on the provision of quality shelter services for the survivors of gender-based violence in Addis Ababa: The case of association for Women’s Sanctuary and Development and The Salesians of Don Bosco. South West London: St. Mary’s University; 2020.

Mulugeta T. Media coverage of child abuse and child protection in Ethiopia. Online J Commun Media Technol 2020;4:86-99.

Olson R, García-Moreno C, Colombini M. The implementation and effectiveness of the one stop centre model for intimate partner and sexual violence in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review of barriers and enablers. BMJ Glob Health 2019;5:e001883.

Rosenthal G. Economic and social council. In: Weiss TG, Daws S, editors. The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2009. p. 1-21.

United Nations. Keeping the Promise: Ending Violence Against Children by 2030. New York: United Nations; 2019.

UNICEF. Action to End Child Sexual Abuse. New York: UNICEF Child Protection Section Programme; 2014.