Coronavirus Pandemic
THE Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Tony Ojukwu on Wednesday called on governments at all levels and institutions engaged in the COVID-19 response to protect the rights of children.
Ojukwu made the call this in Abuja to mark the 2020 Day of the African Child celebrated every June 16.
He said: ‘the unprecedented outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about restrictive measures by virtually every country in the world.
”This has led to the closure of educational and recreational facilities for children, with attendant consequences on human rights and social development. Children should be the centre of the COVID-19 response, “he said.
Ojukwu stated that globally, “it is estimated that about 1.5 billion children are currently out of school due to restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In countries like Nigeria which already has a large population of out-of-school children, this will mean an additional lack of access to education by those already in school.
“The introduction of online learning has further widened the access gap between rich and poor children and families,” he stated.
He said that in terms of the impact on the health sector, the focus on COVID-19 interventions has meant that other child survival and health initiatives such as immunisation has suffered a great deal.
Ojukwu then called on the federal and state governments to resume the life-saving vaccination of children against the killer diseases.
He drew attention to the theme of the 2020 commemoration of the Day of the African Child – “realizing access to a child-friendly justice system in Africa”.
Ojukwu stated that “there has never been a time when child-friendly justice systems should be set up like now.
“The sharp rise in sexual violence and exploitation of children has reached an epidemic peak in Nigeria and every executive, judicial and legislative machinery should be deployed to stem this tide,” he said.
Ojukwu on behalf of the Commission further called on the remaining States that are yet to enact the Child Rights Law to do so as a matter of urgency and in the interest of justice.
He added that states that have enacted the Law should put in place mechanisms to implement and enforce it.
He called for the establishment of family court and child rights implementation committee, especially in the light of the rise in rape cases and other violations of the rights of children.
He said that the Commission has recently launched a national week of activism.
”This is to bring the attention of policymakers on the growing incidence of rape and other sexual and gender-based violence across Nigeria calling for a declaration of the state of Emergency on Rape and Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV).
“The Commission is mobilising national actions across executive, legislative and judicial authorities as well as non-state actors to coalesce efforts to address this cankerworm.
” It will also be recalled that on the 27th of May 2020, in line with its mandate, the Commission issued an Advisory Opinion on the “Protection of the Rights and Dignity of Almajiri Children in COVID-19 Response.
“It declared Almajiri system a violation of multiple human rights of children and called on State Governments to ‘put in place financial, institutional and programmatic frameworks to urgently address the needs of the Almajiri children’.
“The Commission advised further for adequate protection programs, basic support services and empowerment programs to address poverty and other socio-economic vulnerabilities that made the parents send out the children in the first place,” he said. (NAN)
– June 17, 2020 @ 14:45 GMT |
Tags: govts engaged in COVID-19 response to protect children NHRC urges institutions
