Child protection experts on Monday said that poverty, community disintegration, family dysfunction and child vulnerability are critical factors impeding the realization of the Child rights act in Nigeria.
Sharon Oladiji, Child protection specialist, UNICEF, speaking at the media dialogue on the convention on the rights of the child(CRC) held in lagos, said that lack of access to the developmental need of the children is detrimental to the rights of the nigerian child adding that poverty and community disintegration, family dysfunction as well child vulnerability has made most children victims of several forms of violence, rendering the child rights act impossible in Nigeria.
She said” We must promote all opportunities that will help sound development in children. Lack of access to developmental need is detrimental to the rights of children”.
” The child rights covers every aspect of their lives, these rights include survival rights, developmental rights, participation rights and protection rights”, she added.
Oladiji, speaking further said that investing in a child is Paramount for Nigeria and Africa as a whole to realise the right of the burgeoning child population, adding that a healthy development of a child is crucial to the future well being of any nation.
“Special attention is required for Nigeria which is the country with the largest increase in absolute numbers of both birth and child population, it is time we acknowledge our shared responsibility and address this issue”.
Olumide Osanyipeju, Director, Child rights information bureau, federal ministry of information in his remark said that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a human right treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children in Nigeria adding that the need to uphold the realization of the rights of children can never be over emphasized.
“I commend UNICEF for their contributions; unyielding support and partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and for the consistent effort being made to ensure that the rights and wellbeing of Nigerian children are protected and upheld. In the same vein, i appreciate also, the states that have domesticated the Child Rights Acts (CRA) in their states, and working in the best interest of Nigerian children”.
Speaking further, Osanyipeju stressed that a comprehensive statement on children’s right which is binding under international law became necessary with reports of grave injustice suffered by children ranging from high infant mortality, deficient health care, as well as limited opportunities for basic education, adding that alarming accounts of children are being abused and exploited as prostitutes or in harmful jobs. Children in prison or in other difficult circumstances.
“It is equally worthy to note that it has really been an uphill task bringing to fruition the total realization of children’s rights in our society, especiaiiy in the rural terrains which constitute the bulk of our society and where a vast majority of our people are not literate”.
“The situation that stares us in the face is the tall order to bring our people to understand that children reserve as much fundamental rights as the adults, and the need to protect the rights of our children at risk of deprivations of basic social benefits, in exploitative and difficult circumstances and even mortality”, he added.
Eliana Drakopoulos, Chief of communication, UNICEF, said that the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations by its resolution of 20th November, 1989 has the same meaning for people in all parts of the world adding that while laying down common standards, the Convention takes into account the different cultural, social economic and political realities of individual States so that each state may seek its own means to implement the rights common to all.
” The Convention on the rights of the child must be made know to everyone in order to ensure full protection and adoption of the CRC act”.
“The need to ensure that children are empowered all round to take their pride of place in our society and the world at large. This is a realization that all children have a right to better life, an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potentials”, she added.
