Group vows to work with UNICEF in Enugu for children’s protection

The United Nations Children’s fund UNICEF Enugu field office in partnership with the state ministry of information, women affairs, ministry of Gender affairs and education have promised to work together towards protection of children in the state.

Other association that participated in this year’s day of African child with the theme “Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunity for children in Africa by 2030 is the Nollywood.
Some members of the movie industry, popularly called Nollywood that took part in the event also promised to partner with the United Nations Children’s fund, UNICEF to give children better sense of belonging.

Patience Ozokwor, Nollywood actress during an advocacy flag stop by school children in Enugu state in commemoration of 2017 Day of the African Child at UNICEF field office, Enugu indicated their interest in the protection of children’s through their actions.

Ozokwor noted that the place of African child today has changed for better than what it was in the past when they were killed in Soweto. “Though the situation is better now, we hope to do more for the children to secure a better society. Even in European countries children are still being molested”.

She therefore called on the government and other stakeholders to provide adequate security for the children because they cannot defend themselves. “I hope that government will begin to put security devices in our schools”.

Ozokwor observed that many private schools are today springing up in various communities without adequate facilities such as play grounds, while some of them operate in uncompleted houses. “The government should look into such schools so that the children will not look inferior to others that passed through good schools”. She said that environment mattered a lot in children’s upbringing.
“Even when shooting a film the house is taken into consideration, because it also tells the story. That is why you see that sometimes we stay in the ghetto and shoot because we want to tell the story of the ghetto. As you are training the children it should be in good environment so that it will be in contact with what you’re teaching them”. She admonished parents to teach the children the right things from the beginning to enable them grow up to do the right thing”.

She warned that “Our children should not be carried away by entertainment, saying that it is true that God is blessing the country with entertainment, but that children should not be carried away in such a way that they copy completely from the western world while negating the African culture. “My message to our mothers is that they should stop taking our children away from Africa, they should bring our children back to Africa let them look Africa, talk Africa and dress Africa”.

The chief of field office, UNICEF office, Enugu, Ibrahim Conteh reassured the children that UNICEF would continue to promote effective interventions through its advocacy, education and child protection programme to stimulate the intellectual, policy and social development of children.

The World Health Organization, WHO that was also represented at the event. Day of African child was adopted in 1991 by the assembly of Heads of state and Government of the then Organisation of African unity, OAU as a commemorative event in memory of the June 16, 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa. The students marched in protest against the poor quality of education they received and demanded to be taught in their own languages. Scores were killed by armed police men. The OAU and UN used the day to remember those victims as well as celebrate children in Africa and address the plethora of challenges that children in Africa face on daily basis.

 

Regis Anukwuoji /Enugu