Enforce Child Rights Act, NPC boss urges FG

Chief Eze Duruiheoma, the Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), has urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the enforcement of the Child Rights Act (CRA) signed into law in 2003.

Duruiheoma made the call at the commemoration of the World Population Day on Monday in Abuja.

This year’s edition had as theme: ``Investing in Teenage Girls.’’

He noted that the signing of the Act was a worthy step in protecting Nigerian children, including teenage girls, from deep seated practices that suppress their growth into responsible adults.

The chairman, however, stressed that there was need to vigorously implement the Act and enforce its provisions, which included sanctions against violations.

Duruiheoma said when a teenage girl has the power, means and information to make her own decisions, she would likely realise her full potentials and become a positive force for change in her home, community and nation.

According to him, policies and investment in education and health that would empower teenage girls and create conditions that lead to jobs were particularly important in countries with large emerging youth populations.

``Effective implementation of the CRA is critical to empowering the Nigerian child and should not be allowed to gather dust on the shelf like other similar provisions.

``I appeal to states yet to domesticate the CRA to urgently do so for the welfare of children and the Federal and State Governments to implement the provisions of the Act to ensure justice.

``Policymakers play an important role in ensuring that human rights are universal and thus enjoyed by all including teenage girls who worldwide face obstacles to their rights to education, health and freedom from violence.

``Communities, non-governmental organisations, youth-led groups, activists, faith-based institutions and the girls themselves also have a vital role to play in shaping policies that affect their lives and making sure that these policies are translated into real positive transformation,’’ he said.

The chairman decried the conditions majority of teenage girls live in and challenges they have to surmount on a daily basis, describing them as `pathetic’.

He listed such situations to include lack of education, poor health as well as little or no control over their own body.

``At the national level, the conditions of the teenage girls are not in any way better, neither are the burdens they carry lighter.

`` From the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013, an estimated 23 per cent of women aged 15-19 have begun childbearing.

``Of this, 17 per cent have had their first child and six per cent are pregnant with their first child.

``The potentials of teenage girls to transform into fulfilling adults is also being threatened by low literacy status.

``With the increasing spate of insecurity and organised crimes in Nigeria, the teenage girls, more than their male counterparts,
have been victims of various types of physical violence and abuse, including rape, kidnapping, child trafficking and torture.

``Data from the 2014 Violence Against Child (VAC) Survey indicated that approximately six out of every 10 Nigerian children under the age of 18 experience some form of physical, emotional and sexual violence,’’ Duruiheoma said.

The World Population Day is a global event commemorated since 1989 on July 11 annually.

It is aimed at creating awareness on current and emerging population issues as they impact on the quality of population. (NAN)