Group Demands Child Rights Act Implementation

From Left: Wife of the Governor of Enugu State, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi, wife of the former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs Onyeka Onyebuchi, and wife of the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Mrs Akunna Ubosi, during Enugu women prayer rally in Enugu recently

Human Rights and
Conflict Resolution (HRCR), Abakaliki based NGO, has tasked governments and other stakeholders to ensure full implementation of the Child Rights Act.
The Deputy Director of the NGO, Mr Cyril Anadobe, made the call on Thursday in Abakalili during a training workshop for stakeholders.
He said that implementation of the law would guarantee necessary protection and prerequisites needed by the child to be law abiding citizen.
He appealed to traditional rulers, leaders of thought, women groups and the youths to be in forefront of the campaign to ensure implementation of the law in their domain.
Anadobe said that the training and sensitisation of the stakeholders became necessary as a result of prevalence of abuses of human rights, particularly the rights of children.
He expressed optimism that publicity and enlightenment on the existence of the child’s rights protection policies, would bring about progress in the society.
“We want to create awareness about this legislation and reach out to stakeholders such as Heads of schools, traditional rulers, women and youths leaders, who will enforce these rights in their areas.
“Presently, we have visited various local governments, schools; Ministries of Women Affairs and Justice and the police to solicit support to create this awareness to enable us implement the act,” Anadobe said.
HRCR Consultant on Women and Children Rights, Mrs Ifeoma Okpanu, said that the organisation would partner with governments to ensure the enforcement of the law.
She urged the state government and anti-loitering committee to extend its activities to the grassroots in order to stop loitering and child labour in communities.
“Ebonyi has domesticated the Child Rights Act 2003 and the law was enforced in the state in 2010 as child’s right law and it’s a working instrument.
“We are getting them acquainted with the law, sensitising them to create multiple awareness and impact in all the nook and crannies of the state,” she said.