President Bola Tinubu recently called for strict enforcement of the Child Rights Act and other child protection laws in the country. The President believes that the enforcement of the child protection laws will ensure the safety, dignity, and future of Nigerian children. The President, who was represented by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, made the call during the inauguration of the National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Children in Abuja.
The President also reiterated that his administration is strengthening existing institutions and laws while launching national campaigns to raise awareness and drive behavioural change. Tinubu revealed that his government had established a dedicated Child Protection and Development Agency and introduced the Universal Child Grant to reduce household poverty and protect vulnerable children.
According to the president, “from the Child Rights Act to the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, Nigeria has laid the statutory foundation for child protection. But legislation alone does not shield the vulnerable; it is the will behind those laws and the systems that enforce them that make the difference.” The national strategy also included prevention and early intervention through programmes aimed at supporting families, promoting positive parenting, and challenging harmful social norms. Tinubu stated that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has been equipped with the necessary training and resources to lead efforts to protect Nigerian children at all levels of governance.
While commending the federal government for launching the National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Children in the country to ensure the enforcement of child protection laws, we call for its seamless implementation. Instructively, the Child Rights Act provides for protection from child marriage and the expected punishments for the crime against the adult parties involved. Unfortunately, these are hardly enforced. Other protections include not being harmed, such as being marked with tattoos: or from sexual violence, being shielded from exploitative labour or being enlisted in any military operation. Though children are not enlisted in the army, non-state actors in Nigeria, including Boko Haram and ISWAP, have child soldiers in their ranks. It is also saddening to see many children hawking goods on the streets or farming during school hours.
Every Nigerian child should be registered to make it easier for planning and enforcement of child rights. Statistics show that only 30 per cent of children under five years were registered at birth. Improved birth registration is vital for national planning and governance. This will serve as a foundation for achieving progress in child protection.
Violence in Nigeria occurs in homes, families, schools, communities and public places, where children ought to be safe. Only a small percent of abuses are reported and only a paltry few receive help. It is said that, of the children who reported violence, fewer than five out of a 100 received any form of support. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that six out of every 10 children experience some form of violence. It is also estimated that one in four girls and 10 per cent of boys have been victims of sexual violence.
It also says Nigeria has the largest number of child brides in Africa. 23 million girls and women were said to be married as children. Most of them are from poor and rural communities. It is projected that Nigeria’s rapid growth in population will likely increase the number of child brides by more than one million by 2030 and double by 2050. There must be concerted efforts by all tiers of government and other stakeholders to curb the menace of child brides.
Nigeria should show more commitment in tackling female genital mutilation, which is one of the major forms of violence against women and girls in the country. Nigeria has the third highest number of women and girls (19.9 million), who have undergone female genital mutilation worldwide. It is reported that over one in four girls and women (27 per cent) aged 15-49 years have undergone female genital mutilation.
All children and adolescents should be protected from violence, exploitation, abuse and harm. The federal government should expedite action in strengthening the legal frameworks, expanding parenting interventions, and increasing budgetary allocations to child protection programmes. We urge the state governments to show much commitment to enforcing child protection laws in their domains.