Minister tasks states on family courts

 

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Sen. Aisha Alhassan has emphasised the need for family courts to be set up in states, saying this would serve as alternative system in handling child cases.

Alhassan stated this yesterday in Abuja at the inauguration of the 6th National Children’s Parliament (NCP) ahead of the May 27 Children’s Day celebration, urging Nigerians to end Violence Against Children (VAC).

She noted that the Child Rights Act (CRA) protect the Nigerian child from every abuse, calling on states yet to domesticate the Act to do so as it was in the best interest of the children.

“Let me appeal to states which include Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kastina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Borno to domesticate the Child Rights Act.
“Despite all state interventions, the Nigerian child is still not safe and is faced with all forms of challenges such as violence, abuse, exploitation, maltreatment on daily basis at home, streets, schools and childcare institutions.

“On many occasion, these abuses are either perpetrated by family members or caregivers, who are suppose to provide care, safety and protection,” she said.

The minister lamented that it was unfortunate that children’s access to justice was almost non-existent as some children were kept in detention centres.

“This situation is unfair and not acceptable and I call on the security agencies, judiciary, And National Human Rights Commission, NAPTIP, Legal Aid Council, National Assembly and relevant stakeholders to ensure the situation change.

“Children are assets to any nation, they are future leaders of any society and nation, therefore they are the focal of a country’s development index,” she stressed.

Leave a Reply