Thirty four out of the 36 states of the federation have now domesticated the Child Rights Act, 2003 dealing with issues of child abuse, child labour, forced marriage among others in Nigeria.
Also domesticated by the states is the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (2015).
Only 13 states had domesticated the Acts as of 2019, raising concerns in government and child rights circles.
Appearing on the 59th edition of the Ministerial Media Briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Thursday, Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Tallen, who gave the update, said she had been actively involved in the advocacy to ensure that all states key into the initiative.
She said she had personally met with key stakeholders and speakers of state houses Assembly to stress the need for them to pass the bill into law for their governors to assent to.
Tallen was confident that the two remaining states, which she did no name, will soon pass the bills to domesticate the acts.
She said: “I’m proud to say that today, we have 34 states that have domesticated both VAPP Acts and the Child Rights Act, as against nine and 12 when I assumed office.
“With aggressive advocacy across the states, all 36 states I went round and appealled to them. Most times, I even go into the House of Assembly to address the state House of Assembly with the permission of the speaker. I did that in Oyo. In fact, I remained there until they passed it. The law was passed in my presence in Oyo states.
“We’ve made progress on the domestication of Child Rights Acts, 2003. The CRA, when I assumed office, we had only 12 states that domesticated it. And without the Child Rights Act, we cannot achieve the education of the girl child.
“With the Act, the girl child will be in school admitted, retained up to completion, completion up to Senior secondary school. That is the minimum education, we are advocating for the girl child. Because if a girl is able to remain in school up to senior secondary school, we are sure that she has crossed the problem of early marriage.
“She should be about 17-18. And that should be the minimum age for a girl to get married. She should get married from 18 and above.
“But we’re not saying that she should stop at the Senior Secondary School. We want a girl, if she’s educated, if she’s ready to go to school, she should be given the opportunity like the boys, up to doctorate level.
“We go to the traditional rulers, we go to community leaders, we go to religious leaders, we go to the state assemblies.”
She also noted the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari provided in the effort to have all states domesticate the acts, complemented by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and the Forum of First Ladies.
The Minister announced that the Ministry of Women Affairs will begin 16 day of activism to “paint Nigeria orange” and give hope to victims of gender-based violence.
She explained: “So, the ministry has only one parastatal which is the National Center for Women Development. It also ensures the elimination of gender-based violence. And tomorrow (Friday) is actually the day that we will kick off the 16-day activism.
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“We know that gender-based violence is on the increase every day. There is no day I don’t receive reports of one form of gender-based violence or the other. Women are so traumatised. We need the voice of men to join us in this fight. And that’s why the UN system instituted the He-for-She and we’ve decorated Mr. President and the Vice President, Senate President, Speaker, and key officers that believe in working with women, that without women, we can’t get it right.”
Tallen remarked that as part of the activities to commemorate 16 Days of activism, a Safe Space to provide protected shelter for victims of Gender Based Violence (GBV) has been commissioned in Kurudu, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as she urged all states of the federation to set similar ones.
According to her, the 16 days of Activism is to “paint Nigeria orange” to give hope to victims of gender-based violence in the country.
She said the National Situation Room and Data Dashboard for Ending Violence Against Women and Girls in Nigeria has been launched with the Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed in collaboration with UNDP under the UN/EU Spotlight initiative.
While noting that this has led to the improvement and availability of GBV data in the country, she stated that as at November 22, 2023, the dashboard had 11,053 reported cases of GBV, 401 fatalities, 592 closed cases, 3,507 open cases and 33 convicted Perpetrators.
“That’s why we’re calling on the justice system to act fast on cases of gender-based violence. Justice delayed is justice denied,” she added.
On intervention in the case of Chibok school girls rescued in 2016, she said the Ministry had been charged with the responsibility of rehabilitating them for proper reintegration into the society, coordinate strategic interventions geared towards bringing succor to the families of the girls, as well as effectively support programmes aimed at reintegrating them.
According to her, as at 2017 to 2019 Academic Session, 106 were placed in a special Foundation programmes of the American University.
But by the 2020/2021 Academic Session, the number of girls reduced to 89 as 8 of them withdrew from the programme for various personal reasons.
As at 2021/2022 Academic Session, the number further dropped to 79 as some of them opted out to get married.
“As at today, all of the 79 girls have been enrolled as undergraduates at the American University,” she said.
Tallen disclosed that palliatives and cash support have been given to the families of the entire 276 in the form of personal hygiene items, beverages, food items and clothing respectively to cushion the effects of COVID19.
She stated: “On one of visits, the Minister provided the girls with personal provisions and hygiene products, , as well as a phone handset.
“The same gesture was extended to Leah Sharibu’s parents in Dapchi, Yobe.
“Based on the report of the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs’ visit to Chibok community, the Federal Government of Nigeria working with Borno State Government have since renovated and equipped the affected Chibok Secondary School.
“The renamed Government Secondary School has since been commissioned by Dame Pauline K. Tallen, OFR, KSG in 2021 with the Executive Governor and other dignitaries in Borno State.”
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