African Child Day: NHRC makes case for children

THE National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has advocated for de-radicalisation of children who were armed and manipulated to serve as suicide bombers for the Boko Haram insurgents to enable them live a normal life.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Mrs Oti Ovrawah who made the advocacy in Abuja as Nigeria observes the 2017 Day of African Child said there is ample evidence in Nigeria, particularly in the North East that armed conflicts inflict violence on and negatively impact the lives of children, whether as victims or as (forced) perpetrators of acts of violence.

Day of African Child is celebrated on June 16 every year.

Mrs Ovrawah observed that availing these children who are victims of the insurgency in the North East the necessary psychosocial support before reintegrating them back to the society would go a long way in assisting them to imbibe the core values of humanity.

She also commended the Federal Government efforts in rescuing the Chibok girls saying that it provides an opportunity to design a holistic response system for victims of violence.

The Acting Head of the Commission also uses the opportunity to adopt the position of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the child by focusing more on children as a vulnerable group demanding specific recognition.

The Commission specifically calls for, “Increased prioritisation of children’s rights in the national budget through increased budgetary allocation for child rights implementation.

“A more inclusive education system through the provision of specialised learning facilities and key personnel for children with disabilities and rural children.

“Increased community mobilisation for birth registration and extension of birth registration facilities to IDP camps and development and adoption of a holistic, integrated approach for responding to Violence Against Children through capacity enhancement and provision of requisite spaces for children, using the rescued Chibok girls as a case in point.”

The commission also advocate for effective implementation of a child-friendly justice system and the mainstreaming of human rights in the school curriculum.