Politics
SILAS Ideva, the Chief Executive Officer, The Carelink Resource Foundation, on Tuesday, called on the Kaduna State Government to fully implement the state’s Child Protection and Welfare Law.
He made the call in a statement in Kaduna, as part of activities to commemorate the 2020 Day of the African Child (DAD) with the theme “Access to a Child Friendly Justice System.”
DAD is celebrated annually on June 16 by African Union and its member states as a commemoration of the June 16, 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa,
where students who marched in protest against apartheid-inspired education were brutally murdered.
The executive officer of the foundation, therefore, said that the Kaduna State Child Protection and Welfare Law, when fully implemented, would help to improve
children’s access to friendly justice system.
Ideva commended the state government for efforts being made to protect and improve the welfare and livelihood of children.
He identified some of the efforts to include the enactment of the Child Protection and Welfare Law, adoption of the Violence Against Children Law and declaration of free and compulsory basic education.
Others were the recent intervention to break the culture of the Almajiri system of education in the state and the implementation of a health insurance scheme.
He, however, stressed the need to strengthen the implementation of laws and policies designed to improve children’s access to friendly justice, noting that “although
the state’s Child Protection and Welfare Law was enacted since 2016, there was still no mechanism on ground to fully implement it.
“For example, Section 142 to 146 of the law made provision for the establishment of Family Courts with clear jurisdiction on how to handle criminal issues affecting children.
“But the courts are yet to be established.
“We are, therefore, using the 2020 Day of the African Child to stress the need to implement the law.
“This will significantly ensure the right to life, survival and development of the child.”
The officer also said that a child friendly justice system was designed to be sensitive to issues that children face when they come into contact with the law and the courts for whatever reason.
“It is a system that is accessible, age-appropriate, speedy, diligent and focused on the needs and rights of the child.
“It also respects the rights of the child, child’s integrity and dignity, including the rights to due process, participate in and understands adjudication proceedings,” he said. (NAN)
– Jun. 16, 2020 @ 17:45 GMT |
Tags: Day of the African Child: NGO wants Kaduna State to fully implement Child Protection Welfare Law
