Kanyi Okeke
Three decades ago the world united and made a promise to protect children and promote their rights.
These rights include; right to Education, health and safety. The world leaders promised to make their voices heard and to help them in every way to reach their full potential.
This special day was on 20th November 1989, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
In Africa, the OAU Assembly of Heads of States and Governments adopted the African Union Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (CRCW) in July 1990.
Against this background, a draft Child’s Rights Bill aimed at principally enacting into Law in Nigeria the principles enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the AU Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child was prepared in the early 1990s
However it was eventually passed into Law by the National Assembly in July 2003. It was assented to by the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in September 2003 when the Child Rights Act (CRA) was passed into law.
United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has since partnered with the government of Nigeria to domesticate the CRA through the state houses of Assembly. It has recorded success because as a result of this advocating efforts, at least two-thirds of the federating states have passed the CRA into law.
There is still work to be done to encourage states mostly in the north east and northwest of Nigeria to pass the bill into law. Unfortunately these states are the regions that are being marred by insurgents and frequent civil unrest.
A lot of misconceptions hinder the progress of the Child Rights Act being passed into law. Most of it is wrongly tied to religion and cultural beliefs.
To celebrate the World Children’s day, I spent the day with some kids from Magbon Community in Lagos and they told me what they wish our leaders can provide for them. Watch the video below.
As we celebrate the World Children’s Day I encourage you all to #GoBlue and click on the link below to know more about rights of the Nigeria Children.
https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/ng_publications_Childs_Right_Act_2003.pdf
