President Muhammadu Buhari and the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-Lagos State Government have pledged their commitments to the protection of children from sexual violence, domestic abuse and exploitation.
Nigeria joined the international community on Tuesday to celebrate the Day of the African Child.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s determination to continue to ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality and affordable education by promoting free and compulsory basic education for the first nine years of schooling.
According to him, “Nigeria is blessed with exceptional and remarkable children and this government is ever ready to help the Nigerian child achieve their dreams and build a better tomorrow.”
Buhari expressed concern on the recent spate of sexual and physical violence on the girl-child and directed relevant government agencies to scale up support for victims of violence and ensure that those who have infringed on their rights face the full weight of our laws.
The President affirmed that it’s the right of every Nigerian child to be protected from sexual or physical violence and abuse and to enjoy an environment conducive for learning and development.
He added that the safety of every Nigerian child remains paramount and the government would continue to do all within its means to protect children from violence and abuse.
The President recognised that this year’s commemorative activities with the theme: ”Access to a Child-Friendly Justice System in Africa,” have moved online due to the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
On the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education sector, the President explained that school-age children have been forced to continue education and learning online, as well as through the electronic media.
Recognising that not all children have access to the tools and resources to do this, the President assured Nigerians that the priority of the Federal Government was to ensure that things get back to normal as soon as possible.
He said in dealing with the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic; the Federal Government could not allow education and learning to take the back seat.
The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, encouraged all Nigerians to take a moment this day to celebrate the African child, who represents a better future for all of us.
In Lagos, Sanwo-Olu through Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) on Tuesday celebrated the International Day of the African Child with a renewed call for the involvement of all relevant stakeholders in the fight against sexual assault and child molestation in the society.
The event, which was held at the LASUBEB Office in Maryland, Ikeja, was preceded by a sensitisation walk around the axis to create more awareness against sexual assault and child molestation.
LASUBEB Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King, in his remarks, stated that the theme for the celebration was apt considering the high rate of recently reported cases in the country.
“The exponential rise in cases of abuse against children, the perpetuating culture of silence and the impunity enjoyed by the doers of these evil acts informed the decision of the state government, through LASUBEB, to join other member states to advocate for a justice system that is accessible, age-appropriate, speedy, diligent and focused on the needs and rights of the Nigerian child,” he said.
Alawiye-King reiterated the Sanwo-Olu administration’s stance on the protection of children’s rights, saying “In Lagos State, the rights of children are well encapsulated under the Child’s Rights Law 2007, a law designed to enforce the rights and advance the welfare of children.
While maintaining that more needs to be done to ensure adequate implementation of the law to guarantee a truly child-friendly justice system, the chairman enjoined the general public to lend their voices in support of the fight against child molestation in order to protect their rights and dignity.
“Children are the future of our nation. We must ensure that their voices are not drowned. They deserve to have their rights protected and cared for, in order to grow into responsible adults. A child whose rights have been constantly violated will likely grow up to become an adult who does not respect the rights of others,” he noted.
Alawiye-King explained that LASUBEB remains committed to providing quality and child-friendly educational system for the pupils of Lagos State, while ensuring that public schools run a system and structure that protects the best interest of young pupils by keeping them safe from all forms of abuse and increases their confidence in speaking out when oppressed.
Also speaking at the event, LASUBEB Board Secretary, Folusho Ajimoti, remarked that the programme was organised and preceded by a sensitisation walk to create awareness for tackling the prevalence of child abuse in the society.
“What we have noticed in our society today is that child molestation is on the increase, especially sexual abuse, as the media has been filled with gory tales of child molestation recently.
“In fact, about 717 cases have been reported in the last five months. This is unacceptable and must be nipped in the bud quickly,” Ajimoti said.
The Guest Speaker at the event and an Associate Professor of the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, Bola Makinde, identified sexual abuse as harassment, rape and molestation, stating that children become vulnerable when there’s lack of sex education.
She enjoined parents to teach their children the proper names of sensitive parts of their body and trust no one with their bodies.
Recall that the African Child Day is celebrated annually, on July 16, to highlight and discuss the threats and opportunities facing the full realisation of the rights of every child in Africa.
