Social/Kiddies
Child’s Rights And The Rest Of Us
Children and young people constitute the greatest number of human beings on earth. In most parts of the world, especially Africa, some people live with the erroneous belief that children and young people are properties of their parents and relations. It is based on this erroneous assertion that certain basic human rights are denied them.
However, it is known that children and young people have the same general human rights as adults and also specific rights that recognize their special needs.
They are neither the property of their parents nor are they helpless objects of charity. They are human beings and are the subject of their own rights.
It would be recalled that after the Second World War in 1945, the United Nations General Assembly accepted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. This declaration paved the way for the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. This became the first legally binding international text to protect children’s rights.
Presently, children’s rights are the legal, social, economic, political, physical, and spiritual rights bestowed upon them by the 1989 Convention on the Rights of a Child .
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most accepted standard on children’s rights all around the world.
This has helped transform children’s lives over the years around the world. Yet, not every child gets to enjoy a full childhood because many of them are cut short.
The rights of the child are specific rights to protect all young people under the age of 18. These rights include the right to health, education, family life, play and recreation, an adequate standard of living and protection from abuse and harm. Children’s rights cover their developmental age, appropriate needs that change over time as a child grows up.
It is for these reasons that the Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulate that all children’s rights must come under four general principles that include; non discrimination rights, where all children have the right to develop their potential in all situations, equal access to education for all children, no matter the gender, race, disability or religion.
Furthermore, the Convention stipulates that the best interest of the child must be a primary consideration in all actions and decisions concerning the child. A clear example should be for the Federal Government of Nigeria to deliberately make national budgetary commitment to increase budget for primary education in 2023 and beyond.
Thirdly, the right to survival and development underscores the vital importance of ensuring access to basic services and equality of opportunity for children to achieve their full development. For example, children with disabilities should have effective access to education and health care to achieve their full potentials.
The views of the child must be heard and respected in all matters concerning his or her rights. For example, those in power should consult and listen to children before making decisions that will affect them. There used to be Children’s Parliament, where they are given opportunities to air their views. Such views should not just be discarded, but sifted for the benefit of the children.
According to the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), children have the right to the best health care possible, clean water to drink, healthy food and a clean and safe environment to live in.
In our societies, children should be made to enjoy the same human rights as everybody else, from the right to freedom of expression to the right to privacy. This infers that all human rights laws apply equally to children and adults.
Children must rely on adults for the nurture and guidance they need to grow towards independence. Such nurture is ideally found from adults in children’s families but when primary adult caregivers cannot meet children’s needs, it is up to the state as the primary duty bearer to find an alternative in the best interests of the child.
A recent report released by UNICEF suggested that children in the Netherlands are considered the happiest in the world.
The United Nation’s body prepared the report after analysing data from 41 high income countries based on children’s mental well-being, physical health, and the development of both academic and social skills. The Netherlands topped the chart of all three wellbeing outcomes, followed by Denmark and Norway, respectively.
The report stated clearly that the country’s earnings, education, housing and health status are some of the major reasons that make the country a better place to live for children, making it the best country in the world to raise children.
The Netherlands as a country focuses more on social security and social services. The benefits that people get there are amazing and the way the government helps keep families together acts as a boost in keeping a ‘family ‘ intact and in return a child happy.
Here, in Nigeria, according to the Child’s Rights Act 2003, which expands the human rights bestowed to children include the right to survival and development, to move,for freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, to private and family life,freedom of movement, freedom from discrimination ,to dignity of a child, to leisure, recreation and cultural activities to health and health services, to parental care protection and maintenance.
Also, it includes, rights of a child to free compulsory and universal primary education, of a child in need of special protection against harm, contractual rights of a child, responsibilities of a child and parent to provide guidance with respect to child’s responsibilities.
The Child’s Right Act 2003 further provides for punishment for child marriage and betrothal, child trafficking, use of children in criminal activities, abduction, exploitative labour, forms of sexual abuse and exploitation, tattoos and skin marks, harmful publication, exposition to narcotic drugs and psycho – tropic substance, recruitment of children into armed forces, amongst other exploitations and unlawful engagements of a child.
The law also provides for the immediate provision of safe foster care and shelter for a child endangered in his or her immediate environment.
Unfortunately, the Federal Government and most state governments are not enforcing the Act, as children are still exposed to most of the activities that are detrimental to their wellbeing.
Meanwhile,Rivers State and several states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have adopted the Child’s Right Act. However, it is even most unfortunate that some states in Nigeria are yet to adopt the Act and make it functional in their states.
Rivers State has gone a step further by international protection of children in developing a Safe Home for vulnerable children.
The Safe Home Project is intended to provide effective institutional support for the Rivers State Child’s Rights Law 2009 and Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2020.The Home which provides temporary accommodation for victims of sexual and domestic violence will not only provide citizens of the state protective custody but would also afford them a good opportunity at getting justice.
By: Ibinabo Ogolo
Girl-child education is a way by which a girl- child is being exposed through formal education for proper education.
It is a process whereby a girl-child is being exposed to some certain things according to “teachmit@wp”.
Girl-child education refers to the aspect of education that ends at developing the skills and knowledge of girls and women no matter their backgrounds.
Some parents think that educating a girl- child is wasting of their resources. No. When a female child is educated, it gives her that respect even the husband cannot treat her anyhow because he will know her worth.
The importance of educating the girl- child cannot be overemphasised. It helps to empower the country and makes them have a better life. Once they are educated, they realise the importance of exhibiting good hygiene habits.
It may interest you to know that when a girl-child is educated, she has a sense of belonging in the society. In Nigeria nowadays, they have the potential of becoming governors, chairmen of local government areas, among others.
The tendency of taking cognisance of the importance of reduction in child bearing is high. When a woman is educated, the level in which she will give birth will reduce considering the dangers inherent.
Firstly, she will calculate herself and know when to conceive, although with the consent of her husband and the numbers of children she wants.
A girl who is educated will know how to educate her children properly. She will be of good benefits to the family.
Truly, a girl who is not properly educated will suffer lack of knowledge, fall into early marriage which will lead into early pregnancy. Some of these can cause domestic violence.
Women need education because without proper knowledge, a woman cannot run her home properly. A woman that is educated leads her home aright.
Some men use and take advantage of uneducated women by rendering all kinds of abuses on them, some rape their wives in course of making love and others insults their wives in public all because there is no education. In life, males and females should be educated without discrimination.
Furthermore, educating a girl-child is like investing in a big business that one will not run into a loss.
According to Dr Shaifali, girls’ education is like sowing the seed which gives rise to a revitalised, cheerful and full-grown family plants.
She also said educated women have the capacity to bring socio- economic changes.
Growing up from the family of three, my father told me that he was not ready to train a female child and when I asked why, he said: ” because when you will grow and become great, then, a man will come from nowhere and marry you and all my money will be wasted. When you marry, your name will be changed that means all your riches and wealth will become your husband’s own because you people are one”.
Frankly, I was very bitter with myself and I started questioning God that why was I not created as man, but I took it upon myself that weather the devil likes it or not, I will prove my father wrong by going to school and I will show the difference.
As parents when training children we should not think less of any child because every child is important and have value.
Every child is a blessing from God. This is a clarion call to all men of our present society to accord their wives the respect they deserve. A man can develop his wife after marriage.
Education plays an important role in the life of a girl-child. Let every girl-child be educated. The government should provide the society with basic amenities such as good schools that are well-equipped.
Parents from time to time should be re-oriented in this regard taking cognisance of the importance of developing the girl-child. None should be misled by saying that the girl-child need not attend formal education.
Since some parents do not have the wherewithal to sponsor their children, governments at all levels should introduce free education to give room for equal opportunity. Bursary payment should be re-introduced in all higher educational institutions.
Education is the bedrock of any society therefore women education cannot end in the kitchen.
Princess Npapa
Princess Npapa is a student of Pan Africa Institute of Management and Technology.
A woman is a dynamic multifaceted individual who embodies resilience, courage and determination.
She is a game changer and a force to be reckon with, a confidant empowered, supportive, adaptable and inspirational.
Many had asked why women are being celebrated even as recorded in calendar so frequently unlike men and I said, a woman being multifaceted and embodies resilience and determination is worth being celebrated unlike in the 80s when women were meant to understand that their place was in the kitchen of their husbands’ houses.
What an amazing level of development where women can choose a career and work on themselves and know that there is more to life than being in the kitchen and ending up in a man’s house with nothing to show for it.
Women are the strongest versions of the gender of humans in the world even in their silence, women hold a depth of emotions, questions and unspoken thoughts. Their smiles often conceal their true feelings, masking their fears, doubts and desires.
Despite these challenges, women continue to rise above, shattering glass ceilings and pushing boundaries.
Today innovative, women are enterprenuers, leaders, and change agents. Inspiring women like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chimamanda Adichie and many others have paved the way for future generation, their achievements serve as testaments to women’s strength, resilience and capabilities.
The calendar tell us how unique the woman is and her significance in the home and society at large. As a woman, she holds power and I celebrate every woman out there in the world irrespective of how you may have fallen, you shall rise above the challenges, support one another and celebrate collective strength and resilience.
Woman as an icon of strength is not just about individual achievements but creating supportive networks, uplifting others and celebrating collective success, defying expectations and redefining what it means to be a strong woman.
The strength and bravery of women are worthy of celebration by the entire world as none is unique as the epitome of nation builders, character molders and pacesetters not just in their family but to the society at large.
A woman is a selfless mother, lover and care giver to her family, a daughter who supports her parents, as a sister’s unshakeable bond with her siblings and a friends unconditional empathy and understanding.
These acts of kindness and love are not most times talked about but hold families and communities together and bonding strong women are powerful beings who have impacted the society, shaping the foundation of the world from the 80s to date, I personally want to celebrate all the icons of strength who had fought and are still fighting , that our voices as women are heard even unto the ends of time.
I celebrate you all amazing women for standing strong and paving ways for the future generation for equality, justice and human rights. To the rising child, teenager and adults who happen to be a ‘woman’, I celebrate our collective efforts, our strength in helping one another to rise, irrespective of our differences in our backgrounds.
We are super humans, unique beings, no wonder the Bible acknowledges the importance of our strength. Therefore, let’s celebrate every woman out there.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha, is a student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
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