Abuja – Some Abuja-based lawyers have tasked Nigerians to collectively priortise the protection of rights of vulnerable children in the society.
The told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that the protection of rights of children should not be limited to government alone.
Mrs Kachi Ibeh said there should be continuous enlightenment for lawyers, judges and the police to know how to apply and enforce the Child’s Rights Act.
According to her, the judge is not everywhere, so the man in the village should be educated to know when an act violates the rights of the child.
Kachi said that children should also be exposed to the law; so as to kick start self-defence, apply remedial actions or first aid in the event of a violation being threatened.
“Let us learn to be preventive when there is an eminent threat.’’[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He said the Act could only be a reality and not a mirage if it was enforced without any discrimination but in accordance with the rule of law.
Kachi, however, gave a caveat that parents in Africa should be careful in enforcing the Child’s Rights Act so that the continent did not slide to where the western world finds itself today.
“There is danger when the rights of the child are without limit and they are out of control; we are Africans, we must not lose sight of that.
“In Africa, we regard discipline as being noble and necessary for a child’s upbringing. Children should be subject to adult management and we should decide for our children what is good and bad,’’ the lawyer said.
Similarly, Mr Panaf Olakanmi, said it was now difficult to protect the rights of the children because some states were yet to sign the Child’s Right Act into law.
“Some of the anomalies you are still seeing now in the country as regards the child’s rights violation are a by-product of the administration of the law,’’ he said. (NAN)
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