From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
As a part of European Union-United Nations Children Funds (EU-UNICEF) access to justice programme for children on the move and other vulnerable children, Kaduna State Government on Wednesday inaugurated the state justice for children coordination forum.
The newly inaugurated forum has representatives of the Ministries of Human Services and Social Development (HSSD), Education, Health and Judiciary, Police, Correctional Services, Immigration, NAPTIP, FIDA, UNICEF and media organizations among others as members.
Commissioner, HSSD, Hajiya Hafsat Baba while inaugurating the forum at a hotel in Kaduna said, the forum, in collaboration with UNICEF, would assist in addressing issues regarding children to make them more productive as members of the society.
According to her, the forum would be saddled with the responsibility of checking, identifying and advising in the areas of implementing justice as it affects children.
Chief Judge, Justice Mohammed Bello said all hands must be on deck to ensure that children get  access to justice, reiterating the need to facilitate the establishment of family courts in the state for the implementation of child right act which he promised to deliver before his tenure runs out.
To the District Head of Kawo in Kaduna North local government, Nasir Magaji, who also spoke at the event, the forum would not have been inaugurated at a better time than now when there is high cases of rape of minor in communities.
The traditional leader called on communities especially parents to be the voice for their children by speaking out violence acts against them as a celebrate effective measure to curtail the challenge in the society.
Earlier, UNICEF Chief of Field office in Kaduna, Zakari Adams, said he was inspire that many children when committed offense are not given adequate access to justice.
“This is because we do not have a specialized police unit that is trained and correctional home for children, family court and that is a problem and we are here to find solutions to the problem”, he said
He added that the forum would also deepen conversation on promotion of access to justice for children as it was established at state levels as a key and sustainable mechanism to promote coordination within the law enforcement and justice sectors to specifically address access to justice for children.
“There is urgent need to ensure that vulnerable children, especially those who are survivors of violence, which includes those on the move, access a child-friendly justice system to uphold their rights and convict perpetrators”, he said.
Photo: Participants at the inauguration of the forum in Kaduna on Wednesday