APPRAISAL OF THE PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF A CHILD IN NIGER STATE

APPRAISAL OF THE PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF A CHILD IN NIGER STATE

Background of the Research

The general frameworks within which human rights are protected in Nigeria include the rights of a child which are in Chapter IV of the 1999 CFRN. The Rights to fair hearing and the right to life, the rights to personal liberty and the right to freedom of movement among others, Section 421 prohibits unjustifiable discrimination on basis of ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion2. We have other legislations that seek to protect the rights of a child, like, Children and Young Persons Act, Criminal Code, Penal Code, Child Rights Act 2003.

In 1996, Nigeria submitted its first report on the implementation of the Child Rights Convention to the United Nation Committee on the Rights of the Child. One of the major recommendations made by the Committee was to finally ensure the domestication of the Child Rights Convention, as this is necessary for its full implementation in Nigeria3.

The United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child came into force on 2nd September, 19904 and The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child came into force in 1999, while Nigeria domesticated the United Nation Convention on the Right of the Child and African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of a Child in 2003. Subsequent upon the domestication of Child Rights Act 2003, the following states passed their Child Rights Law:

Anambra State 20045, Taraba State 20056, Imo State 20047, Kwara State 20058, Nasarawa State 20059, Plateau State 200510, Abia State 200611, Ekiti State 200612, Oyo 200613, Osun State 200714, Ogun State 200615, Ondo State 200716, River State 200917, Kogi State 200718, Jigawa State 200719, Lagos State 200720, Edo State 200721, Akwa Ibom State 200822, Delta State 200823, Benue State 200924, Cross River 200925 and Ebonyi State 201026 and Niger State being the focus of this research passed the Child Rights Law in 2010. Although Niger State has passed the Child Rights Law since 2010 but the prevalence level of child abuse within the state is alarming, which shows that either there are fundamental defect in the law or the lack of commitment from those having the responsibility of implementing the law.

The Child Rights Law principally seek to protect the child from all forms of abuses and create an enabling environment for the proper growth of a child. Niger State Child Rights Law provided that “every government, person, institution, service, agency, organization and body responsible for the care and welfare of a child shall, at all times, ensure adequate opportunities for the child in the enjoyment of the rights provided for the child27.

Moreover, Niger State Child Rights Law provides that every child is entitled to enjoy the best attainable state of physical, mental and spiritual health28.

It is interesting to know that the law provides that every child has the right to free and compulsory universal basic education and it shall be the duty of the government to provide such education29.

TOPIC: APPRAISAL OF THE PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF A CHILD IN NIGER STATE

Chapters: 1 - 5
Delivery: Email

Number of Pages: 75

Price: 3000 NGN

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