Reduction in child marriage is highly correlated with a decline in maternal and child morbidity and mortality. Nigeria has taken a step to reduce child marriage through the Child Rights Act; however, 11 states in the Northeast and Northwest are yet to implement these laws despite the documented benefits. Estimates predict that a 70% reduction of maternal deaths can be achieved by a 10% reduction in child marriage. Additionally, the $7.6 billion lost in earning and productivity of human capital from child marriage annually can be averted. A reduction in child marriage can also decrease violence against girls and improve educational level attainment. We propose that the Nigerian government should enact the Maternal and Child Health Country-wide Policy to give a national security treatment to maternal and child health matters. It will ensure that policies passed at the federal level with the potential to reduce maternal and child mortality can be automatically adopted nationwide.

Purpose This paper aims to assess the knowledge, perceptions and mental health impact of COVID-19 among students in Rwanda. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a cross-sectional online survey questionnaire. Findings The mean knowledge score among the 375 respondents was 75.14% (SD ± 19.1), with 195 (55.1%) of the respondents scoring below 80%. Students who believed that COVID-19 education was sufficient were more likely to have lower knowledge levels (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.15; 2.94). While most respondents were aware of their vulnerability to the virus, they did not see themselves at risk of becoming infected. The percentage of respondents reported to have some form of mental health issues was 49.7%. The three most important factors in influencing mental health were age, history of mental health issues, and the way news was reported. Education quality was less affected for those who received online schooling (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.33, 0.94). Practical implications Education about COVID-19 should be strengthened by capitalizing on existing online and offline learning platforms to frequently update new or changing information. Originality/value This paper was the first study assessing the knowledge, perception and mental health impact of COVID-19 among Rwanda students.

Introduction The Syrian Civil War is one of the most significant humanitarian crises in modern times. Since 2011, over 5 million Syrians have fled the country in search of safety. Around 650,000 Syrian refugees are registered in Jordan, 48% of whom are children. The impact of forced displacement on children's wellbeing is poorly understood and requires further investigation. Methods This is a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional qualitative study consisting of 85 semi-structured interviews, conducted with Syrian refugees living in Jordan in 2017, to understand the impact of forced displacement on child refugees' wellbeing. A four-member research team developed a new Code Structure and analyzed the data thematically. Results Education, social integration, behavioral change and mental health, the effect of father's absence, and child marriage, were key areas of consideration. Children not being in school was found to play a big role in child wellbeing because many families had to choose between subsistence and education, with children required to work to earn money for their families. Many parents were afraid to let children out of the house other than for school, resulting in minimal social integration outside the school setting. Children's behavioral changes correlate with the father's absence, and girls were at higher risk of child marriage due to the living conditions of the families. Conclusions Education was a major priority for families, but some children were unable to attend school. A novel finding from this research is that many children faced limited social integration outside of school, significantly affecting wellbeing. Thus, providing school buses, prior English classes, as well as the provision of safe spaces where children can socially interact outside of school, needs to be prioritized. Financial difficulty also needs to be addressed so that children are not pushed into child marriage or made to work for their families' survival. Key messages Safe spaces that parents trust should be provided where children can socially interact outside the school setting. Financial difficulty needs to be addressed so that children are not forced to work for their families’ survival.