From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Children in Borno have held parliamentary session on increasing violations of their rights including sexual abuse and child labour.
The children; ages 12 and 14, representing each of the 27 local governments in Borno, held the session at the Conference Hall of the Women Development Center, Maiduguri assisted bby some legislative aides of the Borno State House of Assembly with the Mace.
Speaker of the Children Parliament, 13 years old Ibrahim Zannah Sunoma, after adoption of the motions moved by members, called on the government to step up full implementation of the Child Rights Law in the State.
Sunoma while reading the resolution of the house, called for stronger punishment againr sexual abuse of children in the state.
“There should be stronger laws against sexual abuse targeted at Children and rehabilitation should be provided for affected children,” he said.
He said child labour was still rampant in the state even as he endorsed the motion by one of his colleagues for incessant sensitization of people.
On education the children asked the authority to strengthen the free education programme for primary school while equally investing in post-primary education in the state.
While faulting the myth against western education in the state, he appealed to parents to ensure they regularly take their children, particularly the physically disadvantaged ones, to schools to prevent them from some abuses and violations.
The Children assured that all their resolutions will be presented at other national and global forum before the end of the year.
The Children Parliament is supported by a global Child protection advocate; Save the Children International.
Waziri Mohammed, programme Advocacy and Campaign Coordinator, Save the Children International, said the project was
funded by Global Affairs Canada Education for Crises Affected Girls and Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance Projects.
He said the Save the Children has been Carried out various intervention for children affected by the violence fueled by insurgency in Borno and other affected northeast states.
Nearly 800, 000 children were forced to flee their homes following insurgency in northeast Nigeria, a UNICEF report reveals
