Activist lists factors hindering adoption of Child Right Act
NAN-HG-3
Laws
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, Jan. 9, 2017(NAN) A Human Right Activist, Miss Adanna Orji says lack of sensitisation, religious and socio-cultural believes are hindrances against the full domestication of Child Right Act in some states.
Orji, also a Lawyer with the Human Right Radio in Abuja, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.
She said the law has been in conflict with socio-cultural and religious believes which has hindered its passage in some states.
She said the child right act, is a law adopted by the Federal Government for the interest of all children adding that every state was expected to pass similar laws within its territorial jurisdiction.
“ The child right acts was signed into law in 2003, which states the right and responsibilities as well as the protection and care of the Nigerian child in a single legislation.
“The act also specifies the duties, and obligations of government, parents and other organisations charged with child rights promotion and protection.
“ The African charter on people and human rights states that children are persons below the age of 18, so children below the ages of 18 in Nigeria are under the child rights act.
“However, the act has only been adopted by 23 states in the federation, because a lot of other states who are yet to pass the law have not fully accepted who and what age a child should be, she said’’.
According to Orji, the importance of children and the need to put special safeguards in place to ensure their survival and wellbeing has been clearly stated in the Child Right Act.
She said that the adoption of the act would ensure adequate protection of the child’s rights including children with disability as it provides special measures for their care and protection.
She said that children are the future of any nation, who needs to be nurtured and assisted to develop into responsible and productive adults that would lead the society in the future.
Orji explained that the full domestication would uphold the rights of children, protect them from child marriage, child trafficking, corporal punishment, sexual abuses and exploitation.
The act would also guarantee, right to life, survival and development, right to education, health and parental care among others.
Speaking on the benefits of the act, Orji noted that the act recognises the rights of children, improves their status, and restores their confidence and self-esteem.
She called on civil society organisations and NGOs, to ensure that people are properly sensitised to understand what the child right acts entails and what the child stands to benefit.
Orji further appealed for full domestication of the act by state houses of Assemblies who are yet to do so. (NAN)
TIM/EAL/EAL
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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi