On May 29, 1999, Nigeria returned to democratic rule after many years of military rule.
As the country marks another Democracy Day(inauguration) today, with the swearing in of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office, issues affecting children must top the president’s agenda, if the rights and future of Nigerian children must be secured.
Same goes to the newly sworn-in governors of the various states across the country, as they have to give priority to issues concerning children in their states, especially on child survival, development and protection by ensuring that their rights are protected.
Today’s inauguration marks 20 years of democracy in Nigeria.
Though some say there are still a lot to celebrate as a nation, others are worried about the huge challenges confronting the country such as insecurity, conflict, poverty, unemployment, kidnapping, sexual abuse, child abuse and widespread killings across the country.
Reports show that children are the worst hit amid these challenges, as many of them are faced with abuse, conflicts, domestic violence, forced early marriage and sexual abuse, which grossly deny them early childhood care and education, especially in the north-east.
Findings by The Point showed that 20 years after the end of military rule, many Nigerian children still suffer various forms of abuse, exploitation and neglect. This was traced to lack of protection for the rights of children by those in authority.
In 2003, Nigeria adopted the Child Rights Act to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
It is disheartening to note that at this stage of the nation’s life and 30 years after the CRC was adopted, not all the states in the country have passed the Child Rights Act into law, giving rise to all manner of child abuse. Recent happenings in the country have proved that there is an increase in sexual violence against children.
Only recently, the Bayelsa State Police Command arrested three commercial tricycle (popularly known as ‘Keke NAPEP’) drivers over alleged gang rape of an 11-year-old girl in an uncompleted building along the Azikoro village road of the state.
The victim, whose name was withheld, was threatened with death by the three tricyclists, after she was repeatedly raped.
The alleged gang rape, was, however, reported to the Divisional Police office at Azikoro road for investigation.
Similarly, the police in Lagos recently arrested a father, Peter Adeda, for allegedly defiling his two -year – old daughter on Oyetayo Olafisoye Street, Westwood Estate, Badore, Ajah.
A medical report was said to have confirmed there was penetration, as the victim allegedly pointed at her father when questioned, describing how the act took place.
Additionally, the Gender Section of the Lagos Police Command is also investigating one Abdullahi Garuba, a 58 – year – old security man attached to Oshodi Isolo Local Government Area secretariat, for allegedly defiling two minors. The rate at which children are sexually abused has become worrisome while government appears not to be making perpetrators to pay severely for their action.
A human rights lawyer, Evans Ufeli, had in 2015, revealed that despite an overwhelming reported cases of sexual assaults, Nigeria had so far recorded only 18 rape convictions in its legal history.
According to a 2014 survey by the National Population Commission, with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, six out of ten Nigerian children experience at least one of these forms of violence before they reach 18.
The above menace is certainly contrary to Article 34 of the CRC, which states that, “Every child has the right to be protected from sexual exploitation and abuse, including prostitution and involvement in pornography.”
The evil act is also an aberration to Article 19 of CRC which also states that, “Every child has the right to be properly cared for, and protected from violence, abuse, and neglect.”
Our correspondent gathered that 12 states in the country have yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act as only 24 states have done so, a major factor stakeholders say are increasing child abuse and exploitation in those 12 remaining states.
The states are; Bauchi, Yobe, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Borno, Zamfara, Gombe, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa and Kaduna.
Evidence shows that Nigeria still has 10.5 million out-of-school children aged between six and 14 years.
According to UNICEF, an estimated three million children need emergency education support in the North-East so that they can get back to school and get a decent education. Report also shows that education is in trouble in Borno State owing to high insecurity in that region.
In addition to devastating malnutrition, violence and an outbreak of cholera, children in the northeast are said to be living through so much horror.
More than 3,500 children, most of whom were aged between 13 and 17, were recruited by non-state armed groups between 2013 and 2017 and have been used in the ongoing armed conflict in the region, according to UNICEF.
The above statistics is unpleasant and contrary to Article 28 of CRC, which states that, “Every child has the right to a good quality education. Primary education should be free, secondary education should be accessible, and children should be encouraged to attend school to the highest level possible. School discipline should respect children’s rights and dignity.”
Findings by The Point also showed that 20 years after democracy returned to Nigeria, basic healthcare provision for children such as immunization and birth registration are still lacking, as many of them still die from vaccine preventable diseases and malnutrition.
Going by the provision of Article 6 of the CRC, “All children have the right to life. Governments should ensure that children survive and develop healthily.” This provision is grossly inadequate in Nigeria as the Federal and state governments are not doing enough based on available statistics.
Hence the appeal to the president and state governors to pay special attention to the rights, protection, development and survival of children in Nigeria by ensuring the full implementation of the CRC, which ensures that no child is left behind.
In 1989, governments across the world, including the government of Nigeria, promised all children the same rights by adopting the UN CRC. The Convention, which would be 30 this year, says what countries must do so that all children grow as healthy as possible, can learn at school, are protected, have their views listened to, and are treated fairly.
Speaking with The Point, a parent, Mr. Ernest Chimuanya, said Buhari’s Next Level of government should protect every child from all forms of abuse and neglect.
“I am appealing to the President to ensure that perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence are severely punished. He should go after them as he is going after looters,” he said.
A lawmaker representing Obokun State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, called on all stakeholders to review and scale up activities that would restore the dignity of the Nigerian child.
Oyintiloye also stressed the need for the domestication of the Child Rights Law to further protect the rights of vulnerable children, especially their exclusive rights to education.
In a recent two-day media dialogue on the CRC at 30, organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Child Rights Information Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in Lagos, stakeholders reiterated their stance on the protection of children’s rights, calling on government at all levels to consider the benefits of the Child Rights Law and ensure that all its provisions were realised in the interest of the child.
A Child Protection Specialist with the UN children’ s agency, Sharon Oladiji, urged the state governors of the remaining 12 states to urgently adopt the Child Rights Act to protect the rights of children in Nigeria.
“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,” she said.
Another Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF, Dennis Onoise, said culture and personal interest were responsible for the delay in the implementation of the Child Rights Law in some states.
The Chief of Communication of the agency, Eliana Drakopoulos, noted that the Convention on the rights of the child must be made public to everyone in order to ensure its full protection and adoption.
As Nigeria strives to deepen its democracy in the next fours years, government at all levels must come together to show proof of their political will and commitment on issues affecting children by bringing an end to violence against children.
