FG, stakeholders seek improved child’s rights
The federal government has reiterated the importance of advocacy to safeguard and improve the rights of children in Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office (SDO), Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Amina Muhammed Bello Shamaki made this known during a courtesy visit by the National Council of Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria (NCCRAN) led by the Director Programme and International Relations, Mrs Betty Olutunde in Abuja.
Dr. Shamaki said that a continuous advocacy by relevant government agencies and citizens would create awareness and consciousness that would energise the system to make concerted effort to rescue vulnerable children in the society.
According to her, “We need a lot of advocacy with relevant government agencies such as Ministry of Women Affairs, Information and Federal Capital Territory to confront enormous challenges facing children in order to take care of their immediate needs”.
Dr. Shamaki pointed out that the National Council of Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria should bring up a comprehensive proposal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation encompassing all its activities so far in child advocacy and suggests intervention by the government agencies including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Women Affairs, Information, Health and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In her remarks, the Director Programme and International Relation (NCCRAN), Betty Olatunde stated that NCCRAN had done a lot of research in FCT on child rights and discovered how unfriendly the orphanages in the city are making it not suitable for protection of vulnerable children.
She noted that there was the need for rescue centres that would be accessible to all children irrespective of their religion and tribe adding that the centre would address a lot of issue on child development and would eventually create a crime free society.
