Since 1999 Children’s Day has always fallen two days away from the National Democracy Day celebrated on every 29th of May yearly. This coincidence has inadvertently made it more pertinent to often draw attention of children’s plight to the country’s fledgling democracy.

Fortunately this year’s theme, “Good Governance: Impact on the Nigerian Child” further drives home the point whether as the country celebrates its democracy growth, children have made modest progress in tandem with the policies so far initiated by the country’s leaders.

12 years ago, at the World Summit for Children leaders from many countries of the planet made a passionate appeal on the need to chart a fresh path for the future leaders.

Among the pertinent issues that reared up at the conference include the mind boggling problem of child labour, child prostitution, child trafficking, child hawking and other litany of children abuses.

Perhaps that is why May 27 in Nigeria has been regarded as not only a day for children march past and fan fare but for sober reflection as concerning children’s welfare.

The question on the lips of many is: Has our so called democracy been able to reduce the plight of children? There is no doubt, however, that as much as this question is asked, not few Nigerians have a ready-made answer.

The truth is that 12 years in the annals of a child is no joke. Image the height and size of a 12 year old baby, and can somebody who is about the age be regarded as a kid considering the kind of culture we operate in?

This question has become very crucial when it’s viewed against the backdrop of how most of our children of that age are being treated. So many of them today have become economic backbone of their families at an early age sometimes before the age of eight.

The sad scene of child hawking has become a national embarrassment, but unfortunately not many parents understand the weight of this menace, because as far as they are concerned it’s unavoidable considering the light economic realities.

But no matter how justifiable this act is, it tastes sour in every mouth that upholds it. It is even more painful that even during last weeks children’s day; some children were seen hawking sachet water at the scene of the celebrations

Clad in torn and worn clothings, these kids under the weight of trays and buckets of sachet water were cheering innocently at the other children engaged in the celebrations.

They never knew what they were cheering and laughing at, but from a psychological perspective there seems to be that empty gladness created by the harsh realities of life and driven by punishable ignorance displayed by their parents or guardians, who never wanted them to feel the breeze of life.

The irony of the situation is that all these child abuses are happening in a society that considers itself as lover of children. Africa and indeed Nigeria prides itself as one of those that holds its children in high regard, but its actions is a far reality from what it believes.

The horrific scenes of children molestation in Akwa-Ibom and Cross Rivers State have become big dent to the country’s conscience. Thousands of children are maltreated for the sake of a superstitions belief in witchcraft.

A lot of these children have been maimed, wounded and killed by either their parents, guardians and spiritualists whose sense of God have been blinded by societal false religious inclinations.

Indeed all these horrible developments have put a question mark on the country’s democracy strides. Most foreign countries especially the western ones have raised eye brows as to whether Nigeria is still practicing crude gerontocracy.

And it’s against this backdrop that this year’s Children Day celebration is being weighed against the democratic ideals the country has been pursing in the past 12 years.

Good governance is measured by the freedom guaranteed in the system. It is not only freedom for the adults; it should be freedom for the children as well. A country that has a well developed child population has a secure future.

In Rivers State the future of the Nigerian child is being given serious attention. The present Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi took a bold step when in 2009 he endorsed to the Child Rights Bill.

With the passage of the Child Rights Law, the state government through the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation is committed to the full implementation of the law and to ensure that offenders face the wrath of the law.

Not long ago, the state government declared zero tolerance on child abuse insisting that every child must be in school between 8.am in the morning –a pointer that education is the right of every child.

Buoyed by her husband’s bid to transform education in the state through the construction of over 250 Model Primary Schools across the state, Dame Judith Amaechi also begun the establishment of pre-nursery and nursery schools in all the local government areas.

Through her Economic Support Initiative (ESI), the Rivers State First Lady is pursuing the fast implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The Convention of the Rights of the Child stipulates the time range of the rights of the child, outlining four human rights for every child to be respected and protected. It recognises the right of the child to free education based on the child’s capacity and capability.

It is in recognition of the central role of education to the wellbeing of the child that the convention seeks to cater for the child’s rights to develop his personality, talent mental and physical abilities.

In Rivers State, Governor Amaechi’s administration declared a state of emergency in education and taking over primary education from the local government councils statutorily saddled with the responsibility.

Last year, the government went further to declare free education at the primary and secondary levels, as it has commenced free school books and uniforms scheme across board.

The Ministry of Social Welfare have equally commenced the provision of food and clothings for abandoned children at the Port Harcourt children’s homes juveniles at the Remand Home are also taken care of.

The foster and adoption committee of the Ministry gave out over 20 children to families for proper care and protection while the Ministry registered and recognised over 35 non-governmental organisation’s  and social clubs in the state.

Though not much have been achieved at the federal level in furthering the rights of the child, the same cannot be said in Rivers State where so many schemes have been put in place and that is indeed the dividend of democracy.

Amadi, a civil servant, resides in Port Harcourt.

Tochi Amadi