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News release

Majority of Angolans say physical disciplining of children occurs frequently in their communities, Afrobarometer survey shows

1 Jul 2022 Angola
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News release
Key findings
  • More than six in 10 Angolans (63%) say physical disciplining of children is “somewhat frequent” or “very frequent” in their communities (Figure 1).
  • A majority (54%) of Angolans say it is “never justified” for parents to discipline their children using physical force. About one-third (32%) say it is “sometimes justified,” and 12% see it as “always justified” (Figure 3).
  • More than half of citizens (54%) report that child abuse and neglect occur “somewhat frequently”(32%) or “very frequently” (22%) in their communities (Figure 5).

A majority of Angolans say adults in their community frequently use physical force to discipline their children, even though more than half of citizens believe that this practice is never justified, according to a recent Afrobarometer survey.

A majority also report that child abuse and neglect are widespread in their communities. This view is particularly common in urban areas and among more educated citizens.

These findings contrast with the government’s aim of “preventing and combating violence against children” as part of its 11 child-welfare commitments adopted in 2007 and updated in 2017.