- More than half (54%) of Zambians say the use of physical force to discipline children is not very common in their community. But more than four in 10 see this as a “somewhat frequent” (28%) or “very frequent” (17%) occurrence (Figure 1).
- Four in 10 Zambians (40%) say that children in their community are frequently abused, mistreated, or neglected. More than six in 10 (63%) say it is common in their community to see school-age children who are not in school (Figure 2).
- Child abuse and neglect are more commonly reported as a frequent problem in cities (45%) than in rural areas (35%) (Figure 3). On the contrary, concern about out-of-school children is more common in rural than in urban areas (66% vs. 60%) (Figure 4).
- Only 40% of Zambians say children who are victims of abuse or neglect are generally able to receive help in their community. Almost half (48%) say support is available for children living with disability, but only 31% say the same for children and adults with mental or emotional problems (Figure 5).
- Citizens who are poor and those who have no formal education are considerably less likely than their better-off and more educated counterparts to report that support services for vulnerable children are available in their community (Figure 6 and Figure 7).
- A majority (61%) of Zambians say the government is doing a good job of protecting and promoting the well-being of vulnerable children, with only three in 10 (32%) who disagree (Figure 8).
A majority of Zambians say vulnerable children are often unable to obtain needed help and support in their community, a recent Afrobarometer study shows.
About four in 10 Zambians describe child abuse and neglect as common in their community. A majority say out-of-school children are a frequent occurrence.
Fewer than half of survey respondents say children who are abused or neglected, who are living with disability, or who have mental or emotional problems are generally able to get the help they need.
Despite these challenges, a majority of Zambians say their government is doing a good job of promoting the well-being of vulnerable children.
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