By Usman Walin Gungura, Bauchi
Worried by high cases of violations, low protection and survival rates of children in Nigeria, particularly in the Northeast region, the Bauchi Field Office of the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in its usual efforts and determination to arrest the situation, initiated and organised a one day stakeholders roundtable advocacy meeting on protecting child rights.
The stakeholders roundtable advocacy meeting held at the Emerald Hotel, Gombe on Tuesday with journalists, social welfare workers, security agents, lawyers and traditional rulers from Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe States in attendance to strengthen the existing efforts of protecting and promoting the rights of every child.
Children in the Northeast States face survival and protection impediments despite Child Rights Act in some states and domestication of law on Violence Against People Prohibition (VAPP)
In her speech at the opening ceremony of the meeting, the Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, charged the stakeholders to see children protection and survival as a challenge that must be addressed right from child birth.
Dr. Nuzhat informed that “The first right of the child is birth registration”, adding other primary needs of child survival as immunization, nutrition, adequate health care, education among many others to ensure children grow up to their full potentials.
Dr. Nuzhat while speaking on sexual violence as it concerns children, said the menace is a very sensitive matter, hence “even as small as six months old babies are being raped and abused,” she said.
“I have seen their names and I have seen the babies in the sexual assault referral center that we will talk about in Gombe and Bauchi.
“And trust me, when I was reading the names and ages, I was crying. I was literally crying looking at those ages. That is a big violation of child’s rights.
“This is really a very worrying situation in our State and maybe in the country, but it is overall in all developing countries we see these cases. These are very unfortunate cases,” she lamented.
UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Ladi Alabi, in her presentation cited serious issues of sexual assault against children in Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe states.
She further highlighted the effects of these violations against children and the impact it leaves on the children’s physical, psychological and social being.
According to the specialist, sexual violence against children remains a critical protection concern and a violation of child rights. Infact there are many unreported cases due to stigma, fear, and limited awareness of available support systems.
“Addressing this challenges requires a coordinated and multi-sectoral response involving key stakeholders,
Government, civil society, media and community leaders who participated in the roundtable engagement”.
The UNICEF Child Protection specialist, believes that at the end of the day’s engagement, the participants would strengthen collaboration, enhance understanding of referral pathways, and promote sustained advocacy toward preventing and responding to sexual assault and violations against children’s rights.
