Prevalence and Impact of Street Hawking on Children in Iworoko Ekiti

ABSTRACT
The study focused on the prevalence and impact of street hawking on children in Iworoko Ekiti.
In light of the above, this study examined the level of knowledge and prevalence of street hawking among children in the study area. It further identified the factors that promote street hawking in Iworoko Ekiti, explored its effects on children, and proposed possible solutions to curb the menace. The study employed a quantitative research design to collect relevant data. Respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique, while a structured questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data. The collected data were sorted, analyzed using frequency distribution tables, and presented in percentages. Findings from the study revealed that awareness of street hawking is very high, as it is widely recognized and considered one of the most common forms of child abuse. Despite being perceived as harmful and hazardous, a large number of children are still engaged in it. The study also found that street hawking is highly prevalent in the study area, with most respondents acknowledging that they know at least one child involved in the activity. Major factors contributing to street hawking among children in Iworoko Ekiti include poverty, unemployment and underemployment, low socioeconomic status of parents, low family income, family instability or broken homes, and parental death. However, street hawking has several negative effects on children, such as mental health challenges, exposure to road traffic accidents, physical exhaustion (due to hunger and fatigue), sexual harassment (including rape, molestation, and unwanted touching), poor academic performance, as well as health and psychological consequences. Finally, the study suggested several measures to mitigate the problem of street hawking. These include increased public awareness through radio and television campaigns, strict enforcement of child rights laws, government prohibition of all forms of child labor, provision of free education from primary to secondary levels, reduction of unemployment, provision of aids and palliatives to low-income families, poverty alleviation programs, assistance for struggling parents, disaster management support, and the establishment of standard, homelike orphanages to protect vulnerable children.