On defending the rights of the Nigerian child

Over the years, the Nigerian children have experienced all forms of exploitation from trafficking to child labour to early marriage to sexual abuse to illiteracy to mass murder and the list is endless.   Where is the hope of the Nigerian child, if leaders we are looking up to do not respect and promote the […]

Over the years, the Nigerian children have experienced all forms of exploitation from trafficking to child labour to early marriage to sexual abuse to illiteracy to mass murder and the list is endless.  

Where is the hope of the Nigerian child, if leaders we are looking up to do not respect and promote the rights of children? Where is the hope of the Nigerian child, if government is not children oriented and children are not seen or heard? Where is the hope of the Nigerian child if leadership cannot be accountable or responsible to them? Where is the hope? Our leaders were once children and all we want is for them to give us the chance to become future leaders.

Our rights to the necessary things of life are being denied and for us to achieve the Millennium Development Goals as a nation, and of course the goals of democracy, there is need for us to be seen and heard. We believe in every child there is a great potential and if there is a great potential, there are great dreams and ideas for our beloved Nigeria.  It is only then we can have a Nigeria fit for children.

 There is need for accelerated actions towards ensuring that leadership and Nigerians respect the rights of children. We must work together collectively to make sure our rights are respected.

We as the Nigerian Children’s Parliament representing over 75million children, the voice of the voiceless, promise to fight this cause the way we can towards ensuring the betterment of the Nigerian child because we know we can and we will.

We are calling on all the policy makers across the federation to ensure the full implementation and domestication of the Child’s Right Act. We are children, our rights need to be respected not neglected.

We also call on the government to build the capacity of the National Child’s Right Implementation Committee (NCRIC) to ensure full participation of the Nigerian Children’s Parliament in policy formulation and implementation.

Esther Afolayan is Senate President, Children’s Parliament, Nigeria