CHILD-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN ETHIOPIA Major findings of the study Shimelis Tsegaye

1. CHILD-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN ETHIOPIA Major findings of the study Shimelis Tsegaye Senior Project Officer, ACPF September 2008

2. Some facts about children in Ethiopia Children account for more than half of the population in Ethiopia. One in every thirteen Ethiopian children dies before reaching the age of one. Malnutrition is a major cause of death among children in Ethiopia, with nearly half (47%) of children under five suffering stunted growth, 11 percent wasted and 38 % underweight. In 2005, Ethiopia counted a total of 2.4 million maternal, 3 million paternal and more than 600,000 double orphans. A considerable number of double orphans are likely to end up as unaccompanied child-headed households. Ethiopia is home to more than 77, 000 unaccompanied child-headed households; the second highest figure in sub-Saharan Africa.

3. Highest in Oromiya Lowest in Dire Dawa

4. Why the study? • Virtually no in-depth data was available on the causes, consequences and extent of the phenomenon. • Lack of information on the subject masked the specific nature of the challenges facing child-headed households. • Because of limited knowledge of the extent and impact of the phenomenon their plight has not been sufficiently appreciated by policy-makers and advocacy groups. • The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child criticised Ethiopia’s third periodic report on its implementation of the CRC because the report did not mention challenges, such as child-headed households.

5. The study sought to gather empirical evidence on the nature and scope of the phenomenon of child-headed households in Ethiopia, with the ultimate aim of informing policy advocacy and programmatic interventions. Specifically, the study set out to explore: The factors that lead to the establishment of child-headed households. The nature, extent and pattern of the phenomenon. The needs of child-headed households, the survival mechanisms they employ and the associated consequences. Existing community, NGO and government actions to assist child-headed households and associated constraints. The degree of access of these households to education, healthcare, economic and other services and the challenges they face in accessing these services. Objectives of the study

6. Methodology Data gathering tools • Interviews Semi-structured interviews with: • child heads of households (both boys and girls) • terminally ill parents in their homes • medical personnel, teachers, HIV/ AIDS activists and counsellors • NGO staff • local authorities and officials • Case studies and special in-depth interviews • Document reviews • Personal observation

7. Methodology … Sampling methods • Stratified purposive sampling methods were used to select the respondents. • Child-headed households receiving support from NGOs were deliberately contacted for the study. • Orphans living by themselves as a household without any external support, were also contacted. • Snowball sampling techniques were also used to follow chain referrals and explore people affected who do not have the chance or the knowledge to access NGO or government services. • Non-orphans who are established as child-headed households for other reasons than the death or incapacity of parents were also included.

8. Methodology… Participation, consent and ethics • Consent was obtained from respondents after they were informed about the nature of the study. • They were assured of confidentiality and given the option to decline to answer any or all of the research questions. • Enumerators were instructed on how to fully respect ethical standards related to research on children and terminally ill people. • Social outreach workers and home-based care workers, most of them living with HIV were employed in data collection.

9. Where were the study sites? Dessie Addis Ababa Modjo Awasa Shashemene

10. Findings… Unaccompanied child-headed households: establishment & headship pattern • More than 89% of child-headed households were established following the death of their parents, with 12 % established after the death of caregivers. • The majority of unaccompanied child-headed households (59 %) were headed by girls and 41 % headed by boys • A third of unaccompanied child-headed households comprise three siblings. • Nearly a quarter consists of one child living alone. • 12 % of the households comprise four members and 15% have two members. • 11% have five siblings and 5 % contain six siblings.

11. Children’s psychological challenges Findings… • Many child heads of households said that the cause of their fear and anxiety relates to the problems they have in making ends meet and the continuing survival of their households. • Children heading households face tremendous emotional and psychological challenges, and live with the constant memory of their departed parents. Psychological needs and challenges

12. Findings… • The beds on which parents underwent their illness and other household materials they utilised also remind children of their dead parents. • A good number said that they live with fear of crime at night and rain or floods because of their poor housing. • About 12 percent of children interviewed said that the public has an attitude of indifference towards them or blatantly discriminate against them

13. Findings… Health needs: • Have difficulties in accessing healthcare services • Even if they do, they find it hard to articulate their health problems • Or they may risk taking their medications at the wrong dosage or at the wrong time Nutrition needs: • Many engage in hazardous labour • Some beg food from neighbors • Others collect food from places • Few girls trade sex for food

14. Findings Education needs: • Most drop out of school to work for a living • Even if they continue in school, they find it hard to concentrate in school • They don’t frequently go to school: this may be a cause of mistreatment by teachers • They lack parental “pedagogic follow-up” hence score very badly in subjects that require external support

15. Findings… Safety, security and vulnerability • About 18 % of children said that they are living with constant fear and sense of insecurity. • A substantial number of girls in child-headed households have faced rape or attempted rape on numerous occasions. • There were numerous cases where these children suffered property grabbing in the hands of relatives and neighbours. Housing and shelter • Over 60 % of child-headed households in the study areas live in the houses that were rented by their parents before their death, while 9 % live in houses which are the property of their parents. • Most households are unable to afford their house rent. • Most of the children visited for this study live in dilapidated and crumbling mud houses or under plastic shelters.

16. Findings… Child-headed households accompanied by incapacitated adults • Accompanied and unaccompanied child-headed households are similar in terms of their basic needs and the measures they take to satisfy them. • The presence of incapacitated adults in accompanied child-headed households adds a new dimension of challenges related to the special needs of adults. • Accompanied child household heads have to cater for the material, medical and emotional needs of incapacitated adults, in addition to the needs of siblings. • Accompanied child-headed households face serious problems in providing for the medical and moral needs of the bedridden adults in the household. Most are physically too weak to move the bedridden adults in their care, which is a cause for frustration for both the adults and the children. “My little sister and I face difficulties when our bedridden mother asks us to move her onto the bed. We are just little children and physically too weak to do that,” said a fourteen year-old head of a household.

17. Findings… • Children in accompanied child-headed households have to care for sick parents without taking necessary safety precautions for themselves. • Nearly 60% of incapacitated adults play a role in advising or counselling children, in solving problems and imparting life skills on a variety of issues, while 55 % deter physical or sexual abuse by unscrupulous people. • Around 46% of the adults are able to represent child-headed households in legal and social issues and in accessing aid, and 45 percent play a role in providing spiritual guidance and religious orientation to siblings. • All of the adult household members play a role in FAMILY COHESION!!!!

18. Conclusion • The plight of child-headed households is alarming and unprecedented. • Child-headed households need special support • They need that support very URGENTLY!!!

19. Recommendations • Child-headed households need urgent material support, in the form of cash grants, food, clothing, shelter, education, medical needs, etc. • Counselling and psychosocial support • Special legal and security protection • They should be accepted as a family typology by law in order to access formal aid and to make claims of property & inheritance rights • Support to these households has to be formalised via a National Plan of Action on child-headed households • Clinic and home-based care and treatment for opportunistic infections and ART for bed-ridden adults, has to be strongly complemented by appropriate nutritional support.

20. Recommendations… • Life skills training: it is necessary to offer training to child household heads to build their life skills in aspects such as health, sanitation and HIV/ AIDS • Income generation: older siblings in child-headed households need to be given opportunities to set up income generation programmes by offering vocational training and start-up capital. • Community involvement: it is important to mobilise the community in support of child-headed households. This includes providing mentoring and counselling training, and material support to community volunteers. • Further research: there is a need for further studies on the situation of child-headed households, especially in areas not covered by this study.

21. Thank you for your attention!!