African Journal of Social Work

A sample ethics application to the African Independent Ethics Committee (AIEC) for research on social work with women victims of violence in Morocco

Laila Mrabti — 2024-08-31

This article provides a sample of an ethics application to the African Independent Ethics Committee (AIEC). It is based on research with women victims of violence in Morocco, grounded in the African Ubuntu philosophy. Emphasizing interconnectedness and community respect, this ethical approach aims to enhance care for victims of gender-based violence through community-oriented and empathetic methods. At the end of this sample application, there are three appendices: the ethics application form of the AIEC, eight basic Ubuntu ethics in research and guidance on how to write an ethics statement. By sharing this sample application, and the appended information, authors intent to share knowledge of ethics planning in research with learners, academics, researchers, members of ethics boards, reviewers, editors and publishers in Africa and beyond.

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Mrabti, L. & Belamfedel Alaoui, Z. (2024). An ethics application for research on social work with women victims of violence in Morocco. African Journal of Social Work, 14(4), 174-184. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i4.1

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Factors associated with harmful practices of rape and early marriage, legal issues, and challenges in some selected districts in the South Gondar Zone, Amhara region in Ethiopia

Gebremikeal Yosef — 2024-08-31

Harmful societal practices, like child marriage and rape, are widely prevalent in Ethiopia. The reasons for society's rules are fluid and depend on the socio-cultural orientation of the people. The research aimed to understand the factors that influence early marriage and rape and investigate challenges and legal concerns in the county's gender-based violence laws. The study used a descriptive-qualitative approach with multiple cases. As a method of data collection coupled with a guide, twelve in-depth interviews with local elders, nine key informant interviews with victim women, girls, and parents, and three focus group discussions (one in each district) with law practitioners, harmful practice prevention team members, and gender-based violence officers from the women and children's offices were employed. The study found that high unemployment, distant school placement, cultural norms and values, and economic and social insecurity are the determinants of early marriage and rape. The study recognized challenges in crime investigation, legal and law enforcement issues, corruption, insufficient administration, and information gaps. Moreover, the study recommends creating adequate target-based awareness and capacity building for stakeholders, empowering women and their families, wisely utilizing religious leaders and the elderly, amending the country’s gender-based violence law, and punishing criminals.

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Yosef, G. & Workneh, A. (2024). Factors associated with harmful practices of rape and early marriage, legal issues, and challenges in some selected districts in the South Gondar Zone, Amhara region in Ethiopia. African Journal of Social Work, 14(4), 185-193. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i4.2

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A review of peer influence and teenagers’ antisocial behaviours in Africa

Osei K Gershon — 2024-08-31

The psychosocial determinants and processes that influence and underscore teenagers’ risk taking and antisocial behaviours and the role peer influence plays as a contributive factor are well documented. Behaviourists, social-psychologists, and other scholars have posited competing perspectives on the subject and agreed that peer influence, often negative, occurs in natural settings among teenagers. None of these studies have properly synthesized the results of available literature in the subject area. This study synthesizes and interprets peer influence and how it occurs and leads to behaviour challenges for teenagers in Africa. A behavioural framework is proposed. The framework (first of its kind) took into consideration behavioural variables that potentially account for the onset and continuation of peer influence. Literature over the past 25 years until March 31, 2022, were searched. The search included studies of teenagers 10 to 19 years of age. Thirty-one out of 49 independent studies were selected. Eleven of the studies were exclude because the majority of their participants were children, less than 10 years of age. The twenty remaining relevant independent studies are this review’s sample. The article focuses mainly on teenagers in Africa but draws a few studies from other countries. It concluded that given that prevention of peer contact, communication and subsequent influences are impossible, the challenge becomes one of promoting the social-structural predictors of positive peer influences while impeding the social-structural predictors of negative peer influences.

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Gershon, O. K. (2024). A review of peer influence and teenagers’ antisocial behaviours in Africa. African Journal of Social Work, 14(4), 194-206. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i4.3

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Ending child marriages through young people’s movement building: the case of community champions in Mutasa District, Zimbabwe

Mildred T Mushunje — 2024-08-31

Despite efforts made to promote gender equality in all spheres of life, women, especially young girls below the age of 18 years from marginalised African communities continue to face a plethora of challenges such as harmful practises and negative gender stereotypes which hinder them from realising their full potential. Included in these harmful practises is the abhorrent act of child sexual exploitation in the name of child marriages. There are several initiatives by different actors to end child marriages and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Africa Trust (SAT), Zimbabwe is one Civil Society Organisation (CSO) that has made significant strides in contributing towards ending child sexual exploitation. The organisation works to empower adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) to define their needs and undertakes various forms of advocacy including awareness raising and direct advocacy with key decision-makers. Interventions contribute to reducing self-stigma that disempowers adolescents and young people from realising their full potential. This article discusses an intervention that SAT has spearheaded in a bid to contribute to the end of child sexual exploitation and the role social workers can play to work with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as SAT in ending child marriages.

How to reference using ASWNet style:

Mushunje, M., Ismail-Mauto, H. & Mazhambe R. (2024). Ending child marriages through young people’s movement building: the case of community champions in Mutasa District, Zimbabwe. African Journal of Social Work, 14(4), 207-216. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i4.4

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The mental health of maternal caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in rural, low-income parts of Southern Africa

Rachamose Ngokwana — 2024-08-31

Maternal primary caregivers of children living with cerebral palsy (CP) bear a significant burden that has the potential to impact their mental health. There is a paucity of research on the mental health of maternal caregivers of children with CP in rural areas of Southern Africa, highlighting the need for further exploration in this area. Specifically, there is a need to explore the multifaceted factors that influence the mental health of maternal primary caregivers of children with CP living in rural, low-income areas. The paper aimed to identify the various factors that influence the mental health of maternal primary caregivers of children living with CP who reside in rural, low-income areas of Southern Africa. Additionally, the paper sought to enhance the understanding of healthcare practitioners and stakeholders engaged in the care and support of these maternal primary caregivers and their children living with CP, therefore increasing awareness of this issue. This is a theoretical paper discussing the existing literature on the mental health of maternal caregivers of children living with CP in Southern Africa. The review was conducted by searching for published and grey literature in Google Scholar, PubMed, and EBSCOhost. The mental health of such caregivers is influenced by several factors, including the economic situation, physical demands, environmental conditions, insufficient information, experiences of stigma and marginalisation, interpersonal relationships, and emotional challenges. The social-ecological model is used to make sense of these factors in the mental health of maternal primary caregivers of children living with CP.

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Ngokwana, R. & Clare, H. (2024). The mental health of maternal caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in rural, low-income parts of Southern Africa. African Journal of Social Work, 14(4), 217-224. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i4.5

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Social work and women's violence care in Morocco

Laila Mrabti — 2024-08-31

This study explored the challenges and practices of social workers at Moroccan Integrated Care Units for Women and Children Victims of Violence (ICUWCVV) regarding violence as a major public health and social injustice issue. The study was guided by the Ubuntu philosophy, which emphasizes community solidarity, justice and human dignity. The theoretical framework is informed by African feminist epistemologies critiquing and extending African methods of empowerment within care practices. It applied indigenous research methodology through semi-structured interviews with 13 social workers across the Fès-Meknès region. In this paper, we will share the experiences in the field and challenges in operationalizing services. The perceived lack of training and resources in the programs impacts the quality of care provided and the ability to offer empathetic, victim-centered services. A need for training has been identified for all accountable health and social care workers who have access to case notes under the information-sharing protocol. Recommendations are made to contribute to policy development in areas related to continuous professional development support, as well as improved resourcing aimed at providing effective and culturally competent care for victims. These recommendations also emphasize the revaluation and incorporation of African philosophies and knowledge systems into social work practices. The recommendations draw upon national guidelines from governing bodies, outlining best practices and evidence-based methods for delivering healthcare, which service providers are expected to implement.

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Mrabti L., Rhoulam I, Nejjar, F. and Belamfedel Alaoui Z. (2024). Social work and women's violence care in Morocco. African Journal of Social Work, 14(4), 225-232 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i4.6

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A review of book titled The Social Work, Social Welfare, and Social Development in Nigeria: A Postcolonial Perspective by Mel Gray, Solomon Amadasun (2023)

Rugare Mugumbate — 2024-10-10

HOW TO REFERENCE THIS REVIEW USING ASWDNET STYLE
Mugumbate, R. (2024). A review of book titled The Social Work, Social Welfare, and Social Development in Nigeria: A Postcolonial
Perspective by Mel Gray, Solomon Amadasun (2023). African Journal of Social Work, 14(3), 233-234.
https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i4.7

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