Parenting Education as a Tool for Preventing Human Trafficking in Southwest Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects
Abstract:
Human trafficking remains a critical issue in Southwest Nigeria, necessitating multidimensional prevention strat egies, including parenting education. This study examines the role of parenting education in reducing children's vulnerability to trafficking, the challenges hindering its effectiveness and potential opportunities for integration into sustainable anti-trafficking strategies. A descriptive survey research design was employed, with question naire conducted among 384 respondents. Pearson correlation analysis (r = .106, p = .038) revealed a weak but statistically significant positive relationship between parenting education and human trafficking prevention, sug gesting that while parenting education contributes to prevention efforts, additional factors such as socioeconomic conditions and law enforcement effectiveness play crucial roles. Chi-Square analysis (χ² = 459.630, df = 195, p = .000) demonstrated that challenges such as financial constraints, cultural resistance, and low awareness sig nificantly impact the effectiveness of parenting education programs. The study’s factor analysis identified five key opportunities for integrating parenting education into sustainable anti-trafficking strategies: parental awareness and protection, community-based parenting education programs, parental participation and engagement, house hold influence on child safety and institutional and policy support. These findings underscore the necessity of a holistic approach to human trafficking prevention that incorporates parenting education alongside broader social interventions such as economic empowerment and community-based monitoring. The study recommends targeted policy interventions, increased funding and culturally relevant educational materials to enhance parenting educa tion effectiveness.
