The Nigerian Government has described as alarming, statistics on violence against children in the country.
It decried those recent studies established that approximately six of 10 children experienced one or more forms of physical, sexual, or emotional violence before the age of 18.
“More worrisome is the fact that of the children who reported violence, fewer than five out of a 100 receive significant forms of support.
“Unfortunately, also, it has been reported that Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of child brides in Africa, most of whom are from poor and rural communities,” the Solicitor General of the Federation, SGF, and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, stated.
She spoke at the opening session of a two-day stakeholder’s forum on ending violence against children in Nigeria, which held in Abuja.
Jedy-Agba maintained that a major area that required urgent reform was the juvenile justice system which she said included government agencies and institutions that functioned to investigate, supervise, adjudicate, care for, or confine delinquent juveniles or children in contact with the law.
On its part, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, while commending the federal government for recognizing that justice for children was fundamental to their protection, well-being and future, called for the full implementation of the Child Rights Act.
UNICEF, which was represented by its Child Protection Manager in Nigeria, Mona Aika, said: “We are pleased to note that all states in the federation have now passed the Child Rights Act. However, beyond the passage of these laws, it is crucial for the government at all levels to ensure that the laws are implemented and enforced.
