Mrs Hauwa Shekarau,
the National President, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), yesterday in Abuja, decried the low level of awareness of the existence of family courts.
She called for more sensitisation to the existence of the courts, with a view to right the wrongs in the society as it relates to families.
Shekarau in an interview with newsmen commended the Federal Capital Territory Administration for the establishment of family court in Abuja.
She charged lawyers and litigants to access the family court fully, with a view to getting quick dispensation of justice on any matter that relates to families.
“We embarked on advocacy before the family court was established in Abuja during my tenure as the Abuja chairperson of FIDA.
“I am surprised that our lawyers and even litigants don’t make use of the court for quick justice delivery.
“I was personally surprised to note the high level of ignorance surrounding its existence.
“Family courts were then established at High Court and Magistrates’ Court levels, to cater for child’s right cases and family related issues,” she said.
Meanwhile, an Abuja-based female lawyer, Mrs Chinelo Eruchalu, expressed concern over the mal-treatment most children go through, particularly the house-helps and children from less-privileged homes.
She said that those who subject the children to such miserable experiences seem to go undetected and without punishment, when family court is already in existence in Abuja.
“The establishment of the family court is to protect the rights of the child and to ensure that children get parental care, protection and maintenance.
“The inability of most families to guarantee the protection and maintenance of the child has led to the countless challenges the country faces today.
“When the family court becomes effective through proper usage, any breach of the fundamental rights of the child will be challenged in the family court.
“If anyone is caught to be involved in such, there is an existing Act to protect the human rights of the child, “she said.
Eruchalu called on the authorities to be more proactive in this direction, and do all that is necessary to ensure that the family court is functional.
She regretted the inability of some states to domesticate the Act, even though it was passed in 2003 by the National Assembly.
Ms Christie Nwaka, another family lawyer, believes that the growth of the family court has not been as encouraging as one would ordinarily expect.
“The Child’s Rights Act guarantees free compulsory universal primary education of the child, that is from zero year to age eighteen, as the case may be.
“More importantly, it seeks to discourage or abolish child marriage, an issue that has become divisive and impedes the domestication of the Act in some states.
“Children are said to be the future leaders of tomorrow, so the kind of children we have today determines the quality of the leaders we shall have tomorrow “she said
Nwaka called on government at all levels to redouble their efforts towards the speedy establishment of the family court.
“It is not enough to designate some courts as family courts, but they have to be made functional and effective through sensitisation of the populace,” Nwaka said.
Mr Hussaini Oshagye, Registrar of Family Court at Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Wuse said they only treat cases signed and brought to them by the Social Welfare Department (SWD).
“We only treat cases brought and signed by the SWD of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, “ he said.