A Systematic Review of Child Abuse Mitigation Policies in Nigeria, South Africa, and the United States: Progress Toward Global Child Protection Standards

This article aims to do a systematic review and comparatively analyzes child abuse mitigation frameworks in Nigeria, South Africa, and the United States, evaluating their effectiveness against international standards, specifically the UNCRC and WHO's INSPIRE strategies. Using a PRISMA-compliant methodology, a comprehensive search of scholarly databases from 2010 to 2025 was conducted to examine legislative frameworks, sociocultural determinants, and resource allocation. The findings reveal that while all three nations have robust legal protections, their implementation varies significantly. Nigeria faces major challenges due to uneven adoption of the Child Rights Act across states, deeply entrenched sociocultural norms, and severe resource limitations. South Africa, despite constitutionally protected child rights, struggles with institutional and resource gaps, particularly in marginalized communities. The United States, with its well-funded and data-driven approach, still contends with jurisdictional fragmentation and inequities. The analysis shows a fundamental difference in policy orientation, with Nigeria and South Africa often focusing on reactive responses, while the U.S. leans towards proactive, prevention-oriented strategies. The study concludes that effective child protection requires a holistic, multi-level approach that integrates law reform, strengthened institutional capacity, community-level engagement, and adequate resource allocation. The insights from these diverse contexts provide a valuable lesson for global policymakers in developing context-sensitive and well-resourced child protection frameworks.