From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Centre for women, youth and Community Action (NACWYCA) is urging the governor of Nasarawa state, governor Abdullahi sule and four other governors who had signed child rights laws to as a matter of urgency implements the Child Right Acts towards mitigating the abuse of children in the country.
The chief Executive Officer, NACWYCA, Dr. Nawani Aboki disclosed this on Friday while on a courtesy visit to the Nasarawa state Ministry of Justice and Ministry of women affairs respectively.
The visit was part of activities under the scale project of Palladium./USAID.
Secondly the project is
Dr. Aboki enumerate the need to secure the future of the Nigerian children while stressing that the Children are the future of any family, community noting that “children’s right are human rights.”
He confirmed that all the five states, of the North Central, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Plateau and Kwara state had signed the Child right Acts into Law yet to be implemented making it difficult for cases related to child abuse to get justice.
Dr. Aboki said there are International and National instruments used to protect the rights of children and participation in Nigeria but yet, children are bedevilled by several challenges negating their development and participation in the society.
“In Nigeria, the children are daily faced with neglect, abuses and the violation of their rights due to lack of structures to protect them. To mitigate the impact of these neglect, abuses and violations on the children, in 2003 Nigeria Government passed the instrument called the Child Rights Act which was later domesticated by several states including Nasarawa State in 2005.”
“All States that have domesticated the Act are yet to fully commence implementation and several reasons including finance have been adduced for this situation.”
He further said the Child Right’s Act, was basically an attempt to compile all laws and issue concerning children, into one legal document, adding that the Act contains definite provisions, aimed at protecting children from the harsh process of the criminal justice administration while also providing that no child shall be subjected to the criminal justice system or criminal sanctions.
” A child alleged to have committed an act which could constitute a criminal offence if he or she were an adult shall be subjected to the child justice system and process sets out in the Act.
In Nasarawa state, Dr. Aboki commends the state government for giving it a face lift by providing a response unit on Gender Based Violence GBV but appeal to the state government to implement the child right Acts Law.
Recall that the Nasarawa state government had passed the Act in 2005 to protect the rights of children in the state. 17 years now the law is yet to be fully implemented in the state. This advocacy project is to seeks to build popular support with key stakeholders for the full implementation of the child Rights Acts law in the state. He added.
Saturday sun Reports that the group made demands which includes: Establishment of at least a functional Family Court in Nasarawa State by 2023, Provide/Build a functional juvenile home in Nasarawa State by 2023,Provide/Build a functional Safe space for children in conflict with the need of special protection in Nasarawa State by 2023 and to also Provide Annual budgetary allocation for implementation of the Child Rights Law in Nasarawa by 2023
In their separate response, Attorney General of the state, Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim A. kana who was represented by the General solicitor and permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice Isaac Edoh appreciated the group and pledged to support them towards achieving their demands.
Also, commissioner for women Affairs and social development, Hon. Aisha Ibrahim Rufa’a applauded the group for the efforts towards sensitizing the public on the need to protect the children while stating that the government of Nasarawa state had already taking drastic steps in some areas mentioned to ensure that the child Act Law comes to fruition.
She also added that the government will work with NACWYCA to ensure that their demands are met by the state government and on their part would work closely with the group to ensure that “our children are giving the best protection that they need” she said.