Tina Amanda
As the rate of teenage pregnancy, early marriage, and child labour increase sexual abuses, the government, parents, guardians and caregivers have been called upon to ensure the right of the African Child is protected.
Chairperson FIDA Rivers State, Adata Bio-Briggs, made the call while commemorating International Day of the African Child in the Andoni local government area of the state, with the theme: “Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy And Practice Since 2013”.
She emphasized that the only way a child’s rights can be protected is by eliminating those harmful practices that have bedevilled children across the nation.
Bio-Briggs said it is pertinent to ensure the laws in place protecting children are properly enforced and government enact policies that will be favourable to the children.
“There are a lot of harmful practices, we have been speaking about it for a long while and they are still there, but it needs to stop. We need to stop child labour, early marriage, female genital mutilation, and sexual abuse and what will help this crime against children stop is to ensure the children get justice by prosecuting the perpetrators.
“We need to ensure when these crimes are committed they are adequately reported to the appropriate authority and the necessary steps taken will get justice for the victims.
“Under the Child Right Law, Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, the constitution, all these laws protect the rights of children and should be enforced so the society can be free from crimes affecting the children.
“One way to also curb this crime is to constantly talk to the children, let them know the pros and cons of these things, let them know there is no advantage to entering early marriage, having teenage pregnancy. Lots of girls have died while giving birth, high rate of child mortality, some girls have cases of VVF, It makes the children victimized”.
Some participants at the program who spoke to our correspondent said they will henceforth act according to the laws protecting the right of children.
They however urged parents and guardians to stop every act that is harmful and endangering the lives of children, such as hawking, and failure to provide necessary sexual molestation.
They further advised parents to always protect their children and stop sending away their children to family members, relations or anyone to train for them, but rather have children they are capable to take proper care of.
