THE United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that 31 states have so far enacted the state equivalent of the Child Rights Act , while five states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano and Zamfara are yet to domesticate the law.
UNICEF has commended Kebbi State government for enacting Child Protection Law, says UNICEF work to reach some world’s most advantaged children.
A statement issued on Monday in Gusau by the UNICEF Communications specialist, Mr Samuel Kaalu, commended Kebbi State governor for the right step taken on children in the state.
“UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere to build a better world for everyone”.
The statement reads in part; “By signing the law, the Kebbi State government has become the 31st state to domesticate the Nigeria Child Rights Act (CRA) passed by the National Assembly in 2003.”
“UNICEF today congratulates the Kebbi State government on signing into law, the state’s Child Rights Bill passed by the state’s House of Assembly.
“We call on the state government to allocate and release adequate resources as well as put in place mechanisms for the implementation of the law to grant children the rights enshrined in it.
“The Kebbi State Child Protection Bill was signed into law by Governor Abubakar Bagudu, at the weekly executive council meeting at the Council Chambers, Government House, Birnin Kebbi, recently.
“Bagudu also signed into law, the Prohibition of Violence Against Individuals bill during the weekly executive council meeting.”
“We congratulate the government and people of Kebbi State on this achievement by providing legislation that protects the rights of its children, Kebbi State has taken the right decision to provide its children the enabling environment to thrive and reach their full potential,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria.
“On its part, UNICEF will continue to collaborate with the Kebbi State government on interventions that contribute to the fulfillment of the rights of children, including the implementation of the Kebbi State Child Rights Law.”
“UNICEF calls on the states that are yet to domesticate the Nigeria Child Rights Act to do so without any further delay,” Hawkins said.
He revealed that in 2003, the National Assembly enacted the CRA, which derives from the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to which Nigeria is a signatory; and all of Nigeria’s 36 states are expected to domesticate the law.
According to him, not all states in Nigeria have domesticated the law, however,by signing the Child Rights bill into law, Kebbi State has joined the group of states which have a legislative framework through the domestication of the Nigeria Child Rights Act.
To contribute to the fulfillment of children’s rights in Nigeria, the UNICEF, in collaboration with partners, has been supporting government at the state and federal levels to put in place laws and policies which address child rights issues, and the Kebbi State Child Protection Law is one of the results of such efforts”.
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