The Rivers State Government has reiterated its commitment to ensure that child rights are protected in the state.
The State Chief Executive, Chief Nyesom Wike, stated this during the march past to commemorate the 2017 Children’s Day celebration at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, in Port Harcourt.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the governor said the Children’s Day celebration was an opportunity to reflect our roles and responsibilities as parents and as leaders towards children and assessing how far we have fared.
He said the provision of quality education to all children with ease as a fundamental foundation of economic and social development was one of the main policy direction of the present administration.
The governor disclosed that last year, the focus was on addressing the terrible scourge of sexual violence against children as the strategy has been to strengthen advocacy on the issue as well as the capacity to enforce existing regulations in this regard.
He said in November, 2016, the campaign to end child marriage was launched to ensure that as many children as possible are able to enjoy childhood protection from all the difficulties associated with the phenomenon.
According to him, to support the establishment of a robust mechanism to respond to violence against children, the Ministry of Women Affairs has commenced the process of modelling the child protection system.
The governor said, the theme for this year’s celebration in Rivers State: “Stop Violence Against Children”, affords the government another opportunity to explore other ways to ensure that it totally eradicates all violence against children.
According to him, the child rights law has since been domesticated in the state, adding that “by this, we have adopted laws and policies that will bring an end to violence against children and other cultural practices that hinder their development”.
He urged all ministries, departments and agencies as well as non-governmental organisations to work together to produce strategic plans and actions aimed at totally eradicating violence against children, adding that child survival, development; protection and participation are issues of rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Damiete Herbert Miller, had said the present administration under the leadership of Governor Nyesom Wike had impacted positively on the lives of the children of the state through the provision of a safe home for abused children.
