|
|
PRESS STATEMENT
May 27, 2015.
GLOBAL CHILDRENS’
DAY: ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE AGAINST
CHILDREN
As the World commemorates this year’s Children’s Day on the
theme ‘Violence Against Children and the urgent need to stop it’ in keeping
with the UN proclamation, of 1979, as
the Year of the Child, which marked the twentieth anniversary of the
Declaration of the Rights of the Child; the Economic and Social Rights Unit, of
the Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL) joins the global
community and specifically bring to the fore the plight of the Nigerian
Children, and a call for necessary action to remove violence against children
as a way of life in Nigeria. It is for us not a celebration but call to action,
especially with the advent of a new democratic administration in the country.
This year’s most apt theme: “Violence against
Children and the Urgent Need to stop it”, is coming at the right time and it
speaks eloquently of the current difficult circumstances facing children
across Nigeria:
IHRHL notes the United Nation’s position in
adopting the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959, and proclaiming
the principle that “the best interests of the child” should guide the actions of those affecting children.
It was this declaration that provided the moral and legal basis for developing
a binding treaty on the rights of the child.
IHRHL notes that all relevant international and
regional instruments on human rights which Nigeria is signatory to, provides
that Children and young persons should be protected against economic and social
exploitation. Their employment in work harmful to their morals or health or
dangerous to life or likely to hamper their normal development should be
punishable by law.
IHRHL notes that the Convention on the Rights of
the Child is rooted in some basic values about the treatment of children, their
protection and participation in society.
IHRHL notes that a major aspect of the philosophy
behind the Convention on the Rights of the Child is that children are equals;
as human beings they have the same inherent value as grown-ups. This lies in
the principle of “the best interests of the child,” The principle of the best interests of the
child was formulated in article 3(1): In all actions concerning children, whether
undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law,
administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the
child shall be a primary consideration.”
IHRHL notes that the Convention takes seriously
respect for the views of the child. This principle is formulated in article 12
(1): States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or
her own views the rights to express those views freely in all matters affecting
the child, the views of the child be given due weight, accordance with the age
and maturity of the child.
IHRHL notes that the principle most directly
related to children’s economic and social rights is formulated in the right to
life article. Article 6(2) goes further than just granting children the right
not to be killed. It includes the right to survival and to development. “States
Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and
development of the child.
IHRHL notes that the nondiscrimination principle of
the Convention is expressed in Article 2, the first paragraph of which reads:
“States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present
Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of
any kind, irrespective of the child’s or his or her parent’s or legal
guardian’s race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.” The
message for instance, is about equality
of rights. Girls should be given the same opportunities as boys.
In keeping with the aforesaid principles of
international human rights provisions, IHRHL observes as follows:
- Nigerians Children bear the biggest brunt of the insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country. Thousands of children have not only been forced to become child soldiers, but have been rendered as orphans, exploited, violated and homeless. Most have been separated from their families, and forced to live like adults in a very harsh and terrifying environment without any reasonable assurances from the state of their right to life and survival.
- Nigerian children are not only exploited in the labour market, they have become trafficking instruments and suicide bombers in the hands of the adult population; their rights to education and leisure most jeopardized by political leadership incompetence at all levels, especially with the corrosive effects of absolute corruption and executive recklessness on resources and infrastructural provisions for their welfare and survival as children in their environments.
- Government incompetence is exemplified in their inability to take seriously the abduction of the Chibok Girls, politicization of it, and absurd failure to rescue those children abducted by the insurgents for over 365 days gone.
IHRHL therefore, unequivocally condemns the
structural violence by the state, deliberately visited on Nigerian
children, by administration officials at
the executive, legislative and judicial levels impacting most negatively on
their rights to life, education, economic, social and cultural rights and
indeed, an unsecure environment that makes provision and protection of their
livelihoods by their parents and guardians almost non-existent.
IHRHL calls one the forthcoming new administration
in Nigeria to take the rights and freedoms of the Nigerian Child most
seriously, and provide a conducive, secure environment for their rights and
freedoms to thrive in a sustainable
manner.
IHRHL calls on the new administration to prioritize
the plights of children and their parents who have suffered heinous impact of
insurgency in the North East with a view to rehabilitating and resuscitating them, and return them to a life free from the
vicissitudes of extreme violence, sense of frustration and helplessness, which
has been a way of life in that part for a long while now.
IHRHL, finally calls on the new administration at
all levels to make their administration “Child rights” friendly by assuring and
ensuring the implementation to the letter the Child Rights Act, and make it a
bedrock of their governance budget and planning.
It is our plea that the new administration urgently
locate and bring back our abducted sisters home safe. It is our further plea that critical and
responsive civil society groups at all levels in Nigeria, never tire in their humane
advocacy towards the survival of the child and the environment necessary for
that survival.
Signed
Wendy Mcleod-Harry, esq.
Programme Attorney:
Economic and Social Rights
Concerned
and active citizenry that practices the "civic virtues" is essential to
a healthy democracy. "We the People" should be the most potent force in
Nigerian politics, but are willing to act or just there? The only
reason politicians at all levels represent themselves and special
interests ahead of real long-term interests of the people is that we the
people let this happen. The reality is that no improvements in our
system will be made unless the public demands those changes and holds
politicians accountable if they break the rules. Morning comes
Comments
Post a Comment