Table of contentsTheoretical framework: individualization theorySocial disorganization theoryBackground and methodsChild neglect is a form of child maltreatment that has remained problematic in research in social sciences. This represents 75 percent of child abuse cases with a high tendency for recidivism (CBS News, September 13, 2013). It refers to an act or failure to act on the part of a parent or guardian, resulting in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation of a child, or to an act or failure to act that renders a child susceptible to serious harm (CAPTA, 2003). The quest to restore the child's personality has resulted in the emergence of policies, laws, laws and scientific research in every country in the world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay One of the challenges of academic social science discourse in contemporary Africa today is to explain the cohabitation syndrome . In an almost radical break with marriage, the present is characterized by widespread cohabitation, a fairly recent phenomenon Karney, Beckett, Collins & Shaw (2007) cited in Ogunsola (2011). Cohabitation refers to two independent people, almost like roommates, living together and having sex, instead of committing to each other for the rest of their lives (Rena, 2006). It is the union of unmarried partners; both same-sex and heterosexual, in a long-term or permanent intimate sexual relationship that is contrary to the norms and values ​​of Nigerian cultural groups. The trend toward cohabitation saw a dramatic change in the last decades of the 20th century as it began to precede marriages (Ogunsola, 2011). According to Campbell (2008) cited in Ogunsola (2011), marriages have frequently begun to be supplanted by cohabitation which often ends in divorce in a third of cases and where three quarters of breakups are always requested by the woman. Lately, young adults appear to be beginning to view premarital cohabitation as a substitute for marriage. It has become a major social problem over the past 25 years. Its resurgence extends to both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and even to most parts of the Western industrialized world. Religious groups seem perplexed, even paralyzed, in their response to the syndrome. Many of them identify cohabitation as the most difficult issue they face in marriage preparation programs and premarital counseling (National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2000). Cohabitation syndrome is one of the newest social problems in Nigeria that has attracted the attention of researchers (Esere, Idowu, Durosaro & Omotosho, 2009; Tiziana & Chiara, 2010; Animasahu & Fatile 2011; Ogunsola 2011; Omega 2013; Bello & Ogunsanwo 2013). However, he was not adequately x-rayed. Although this problem is a global phenomenon (Bumpass & Lu 1998; Popenoe & Whitehead 1999), its current resurgence in Nigeria and the negative consequences it has on the products of such union make it a serious social problem that deserves attention . The worrying nature of this social problem is illustrated by the wide range of media reports on cases of cohabitation and their consequences for parental responsibility recorded in different parts of the country (Evelyn and Whiteheads, 1981; Thatcher, 2002). Most worrying, however, is that cohabitation has significantly weakened theinternal coherence of marriage and family life, and that the ensuing inhumane crisis exacerbates conditions of child neglect (De Vaus, Qu & Brow, 2003; Mattox, 1998). , there are no national statistics available on recorded cases of cohabiting partners in Nigeria, occasional state reports from different parts of the country indicate the alarming rate at which this deviant act is being perpetrated. For example, the register of the Social Protection Unit of the Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Development and Social Protection in Port-Harcourt indicates that types of parent-child relationship, type of household and the influence of peer groups have been effective in explaining the practices of street children in the Nigerian context. Likewise, in the same vein, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government on Youth and Social Development recently revealed that in 2011, Lagos State recorded 497 cases of abandoned babies thrown in different streets of the state (Okoje, 2012). In Ojedokun&Atoi (2012:P1), it is assumed that this is mainly due to the many cohabiting partners in the state, as there is hardly any well-ruled married partner who would want to abandon their child. The current increase in the incidence of cohabitation in Nigeria constitutes a clear departure from traditional Nigerian and African socio-cultural values ​​which attach great importance to the formation of a family, the procreation and education of children, where Childbirth is normally expected of any legal union of partners of opposite sexes. sex, and where marriage is seen as a passionately desired treasure. Nigerians believe that it is very important that a legally married man and woman stay together and have children because they represent a symbol of wealth and ensure the continuity of family descent (Zeitlin, 1996). Oyewumi 2003, cited in Frimpong-Nnuroh, 2004) argues that legal motherhood occupies a special place in African cultures and societies, as it constitutes the cornerstone of social relations, identities and society as a whole. The legal union of partners and the birth of a baby was and still is not only a family event but a celebration of the entire community (Maposa&Rusinga, 2012). Cohabitation becomes problematic because it is unethical and grossly violates the dignity and sanctity of the family. the formation and lives of the most vulnerable members of society who are the product of this deviant act. This act contravenes the Nigerian Marriage Act, Cap 218, a law of the federation which stipulates certain prerequisites that must be met before persons of the opposite sex can organize. Persons wishing to marry under the law must therefore comply with the legal requirements under the law; non-compliance with which will result in the marriage being declared void. It also contradicts biblical intentions for marriage, which include “ensuring divinely ordained companionship between husband, wife, and children based on trust, intimacy, and faithfulness” (Genesis 2:18, 24-25); and having sexual relations within the confines of marriage only, thereby protecting the emotions and character of one's spouse (Pro. 5:20-23; 6:27-35; Cor. 7:1-5) as in (Odunze, 1991). ). Despite the constant frequency of cohabitation incidents in Nigeria and the social damage they generally cause, this social problem has not yet received sufficient attention from researchers in Nigeria. This study was therefore designed to increase the state of knowledge on this problem and draw attention to the need to examine the link betweencohabitation of unmarried couples and child neglect. Researchers have examined causal determinants in depth to include: “poverty (Basu, 1999; O'Dannell et al. 2005; Edmonds & Pavcnik, 2005; Bhat & Rather, 2009; Rena, 2009; Akarro & Mtweve, 2011; Lena, O. 2014; Okafor, 2010; ILO, 2012/2013), parental illiteracy, polygamy and excessive procreation (Vandenberg, 2007; Ahamd, 2012; boyden J&myers, 1998; Okpukpara et al., 2006) parents, war and epidemics (Yudav&Sengupta, 2009; Serwadda-Luwaga, 2005), urban migration (BBC, 2013), corruption (Murphy, 2005; Onyemachi, 2010; United Nations Development Program, 2012), etc. However, much remains to be done, including drawing attention to the foundations of the union that produces these vulnerable children. This study is aimed at uncovering the link between family formation such as cohabitation and child neglect in Nigeria; using the Kalabari people of Port Harcourt as a case study. Theoretical framework: individualization theory Giddens, Becks, and Beck Gernsheims' individualization theory (Giddens 1992; Beck 1992; Beck and Beck Gernsheim 2002); In (Tiziana, Chiara, 2010p5, provided an apt explanation of the link between cohabitation of unmarried partners and child neglect. These interactive perspectives seek to explain cohabitation as a process by which family bonding and parental responsibility are According to this theory, the preference for cohabitation over marriage is the result of increasing individualization (Mills 2000). enter into a couple relationship, they prefer to cohabit rather than marry, because they wish to keep their options and their negotiations open (eg Wu 2000; Oppenheimer 2003). it is not institutionalized, cohabitation does not build parental obligations between couples. Each partner does not feel specific moral or social obligations towards the other partners. that include children If each partner stays in contact with their children separately, the overall frequency of contact will almost automatically be reduced. Especially since it is women who, in marriage, often maintain – or ensure contact – also between their husband and their children. If, in a cohabitation, women do not carry out this kinship work (or do it less), the parental relations of the children may be comparatively reduced. The relevance of individualization theory to this study is evident because it shows how the cohabitation of unmarried partners weakens the family bond. The pain of this loosened bond often affects the vulnerable “children” who are members of such a union, who may not only be denied parental protection, but also be neglected or even abandoned. Social Disorganization Theory Edwin Sutherland proposed in 1947 that the failure of families and extended kinship groups expand the realm of relationships that are no longer controlled by the community and undermine government controls. This leads to persistent “systematic” crime and delinquency. He also believed that such disorganization caused and reinforced cultural traditions and cultural conflicts that support antisocial activity. Systematic behavior referred to repetitive, structured, or organized offending as opposed to random events. He described law-abiding culture as dominant and more expansive than other views.