The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Pauline Tallen, on Saturday, in Makurdi said that 31 states have domesticated the Child Rights Act.
Speaking at the Capacity Building for the State Children Parliament members organised by the Save the Children International in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Benue State, the minister said that the parliament offered children to develop skills and promote unity.
Represented by Senior Community Development Official (SCDO), Emmanuel Alhassan, the minister promised that the ministry would continue to see that the right of children are protected and fight against vices against the children.
She said: “Our coming together as children is to talk on issues concerning us, this is a way to have interaction among yourself on issues of child abuse, child labour, forced marriage and other things as connected in the child rights act.
“The Ministry of Women Affairs is to see that domestication of Child Rights Act is carried out in most of the states, as of today, 31 states have domesticated the Child Rights Act and the ministry will continue to see that the rights of children are protected.
In her keynote address, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Tabitha Igirgi regretted that the voice and participation in public policy by children in the state had not been heard for the past six years.
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Mrs Igirgi who was represented by the ministry permanent secretary, Finbar Ngufan commended the support of Save the Children International for its commitment to ensuring the full participation and inclusiveness of children in the state.
“From the year 2014 to date, children and young people in Benue State were virtually voiceless in making inputs into formulating of public policies that affect them at all level of governance.
“It is worthy of note that the establishment of children’s parliament represents a positive response to the need to listen to young voices and inculcate in them the values of democracy,” Mrs Igirgi said.
Earlier in her welcome address, the field manager of Save the Children International, Oluwaseyi Abejide said that the purpose of inaugurating the state children parliament was to promote the right of children and to be part of the noble intervention to the full sect of children parliament.
“The event is opening of a new page in the history of children in Benue State,” Abejide concluded
The event which began on Friday is will be rounded off on Sunday.