FG urged to pass child rights act

Former president, International Federation of Women Lawyers, Hauwa Shekarau has called for the passage into law the Child Rights Act, which has been domesticated in only 23 states since 2003.

She was speaking at a lecture organised by the Law Students Association at Baze University, Abuja.

According to her, the Child Rights Acts supersedes every international pronouncement made in favour of protecting children yet they remained the most violated group of society despite instruments for their safety.

She said Nigerian leaders eagerly signed up to international instruments “because they don’t want to be named and shamed before the international community. They want to appear good, but back home they don’t have the political will to implement it.”

Speaking in a panel discussion, past president, Young Lawyers Forum, Paul Dauda said Nigeria needed to sign up to at least two optional protocols on the sale of children and children in armed conflicts in the face of the increasing insurgent violence by Boko Haram and its growing use of young children to perpetuate violence.