Government reiterates commitment to promoting child rights

Government reiterates commitment to promoting child rights
Abdul S. Babalola, Lagos

The Nigerian government says it will continue to promote the welfare of children, women and citizens through its various policies as well as programmes meant to reduce poverty, provide skills acquisition and general empowerment.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Alhaji Idris Kuta, stated this on Wednesday in Lagos, South West Nigeria, during a sensitization programme on Child abuse, organized by a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Nastrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) Women Wing, Lagos State Branch, as part of its twelfth annual week programme.

Represented by an official of the ministry, Mr. Musa Aliu Musa, the Permanent Secretary called on Nigerians to develop zero tolerance to child abuse, violence against women, discrimination and any forms of behaviors that could threaten the well being of children.

According to the Permanent Secretary, “awareness campaign initiatives by women, children and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) such as NASFAT are catalyst to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs advocacy and sensitization efforts. The ministry will like to see more of such campaigns against crimes involving women and children such as child trafficking, street hawking, industrial, sexual and domestic exploitation, as well as streets abandonment, destitute children, social and domestic violence”.

The Child Right Act

In 2003, the Nigerian Government enacted the Child’s Rights Act (CRA), to bring into law the primary role enshrined in the United Nations convention of the Rights of the Child and the African Union charter on the welfare of the Child.

The act main focus is on the promotion and protection of the child. It provides extensive provision prohibiting and prescribing appropriate penalties for all manner of Child Rights violation and abuses in their various forms and complexity.

According to the Act, a child is any person below the age of 18 years, which will thus include adolescents. Some of these rights which are recognized by the CRA, are right to life, education, privacy, freedom of association, religion, movement–subject to parents control, freedom from discrimination on account of ethnic group, sex, religion, and circumstances of birth.

The Act also stipulates the responsibilities of government, parents, guardians and the children to their parents. Many states in the country have gone ahead to domesticate the law. On May 28, 2007, the Lagos State Government enacted the law.

Under the Act, it is an offence for any parents to allow a child of school age to hawk on the streets from eight o’clock in the morning to two in the afternoon.

Penalty for the violations of any aspect of the Child’s Right Law is a jail term or fine of two hundred thousand naira or both.

Efforts and accomplishments

The Director Child Development Department, Lagos state Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Alaba Fadairo, said that about twenty cases of child abuse and physical attacks had been successfully prosecuted since 2007 when the law became fully operational.

Pointing out the successes made so far, she said: “It’s been rather commending and rather stressful. Most time the children feel happy by the time they get to our custody. The joy of it is that most of these children are happier, we have been able to resettled and rehabilitate them, give them a better future. The unfortunate thing is that most parents have not been cooperative. At a point they want to put sentiments into the issue, but we always discourage this to see the issue into its logical conclusion”.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the immediate past Women Secretary of NASFAT, Alhaja Faosiat Oladoja urged parents to take adequate care of their children, protect and monitor their movements.

She said parents should endeavour to take their children and wards to school, stressing that formal and informal education will guarantee the future of the children and give them the skills that would enable them fight poverty and hunger.

“Women of NASFAT are saying zero tolerance to child abuse. Every child, is their rights to be educated and it is their rights to be protected. As mothers, sustenance and maintenance of home, we should be sure that every child is properly taking care of. That is why we have taken our campaign to market. That is why we have market women and men here today, to sensitize them on their responsibilities”, Alhaja Oladoja told the gatherings at the Ojudu retail market in Lagos State.

As part of the activities marking the week, the women group provided relief materials to patients in hospitals, prison inmates and rehabilitation homes. They also engaged in community work such as environmental sanitation and streets walks around the city to sensitize the people on child abuse and rights.

The Jummat service, the final Islamic quiz competition and free medical service will hold on Friday.

The grand finale of the one week long programme will hold on Sunday with a lecture on the theme of this year’s celebration,” Muslim Women in Leadership: Opportunities and Challenges.”

Williams