PARTICIPANTS at a retreat for members of the National Child’s Rights Implementation Committee (NCRIC) on Monday in Kaduna stressed the need for the political will to implement the National Child’s Rights Act, 2003.

They said that though about 24 states had domesticated the Act, violation of the rights of the child still persisted in those states.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that while Nigeria had inaugurated the NCRIC in 1994, the committee had not met since 2010 due to funding constraints.

NCRIC was re-inaugurated on May 10 in Abuja through funding by Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) programme funded by the  European Union and implemented by the British Council.

RoLAC at the re-inauguration promised to sponsor a three-day retreat to acquaint members of the mandate of NCRIC and Child’s Rights Act.

Priscilla Ankut, Gender and Social Inclusion Manager of RoLAC, who spoke at the retreat, said that the “ road ahead of the implementation of the Child’s Rights Act is a long one.’’

Ankut, represented by Achu Wynyfred, Measurement and Evaluation Manager, said that the implementation required an inclusive approach.

“ It is a journey that demands that every organisation and institution represented here today, and even some absent, hold hands in partnership to play their part, whether big or small.

“ It is also a journey that demands that we design our actions not only for children and young person’s but with the children and young persons, carrying them every step of the way,’’ she said.

Hajiya Hafsat Mohammed, Kaduna State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, said the state had put several measures in place to check violence against children.

She said that the state renamed its own version of the Child’s Rights as Child’s Welfare and Protection Law.

The commissioner also announced that the state had launched the End Violence Against Children Campaign as well as enacted Street Begging and Hawking Prohibition Law.

“ This is a deliberate effort to reduce the number of abuse and exploitation of children who come from within and outside the state,’’ the commissioner added.

NAN reports that the NCRIC is charged with the mandate of popularising the provisions of the Child’s Rights Act.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Woman Affairs and Social Development is Chairman of the committee while members were drawn from relevant ministries, agencies and partners. (NAN)

– Jul. 30, 2018 @ 19:25 GMT |