Bauchi State, in northern Nigeria, now has a child protection law. It became the last of the 36 states to adopt, Friday, December 29, the law on the rights of the child in force in the rest of the country.
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Adopted in 2003 by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, this child rights law aims to protect girls and boys against all forms of abuse. This law also guarantees them access to education. A significant point, given that almost 70% of the country’s out-of-school children live in northern Nigeria.
For Helen Idiong, program director at the NGO Plan International Nigeria, the adoption of this text in Bauchi State represents a major step forward for children’s rights in Nigeria.
“ So far, everything that has been done in Bauchi State, in terms of helping children, has been done in a chaotic manner. In the past, when a person was a victim of sexual violence, there was no no clear instructions for seeking support. We are therefore delighted, because cases of gender-based violence which have long been swept under the rug, will now be addressed, thanks to this law », she greets at the microphone of Christina Okello.
“ This law could play a dissuasive role »
“ Anyone in Bauchi who believes their child’s rights have been violated now has the tools to take legal action or seek redress. In a state like Bauchi, where the rate of early marriage remains high, this law could act as a deterrent to say, “No, this is not the right thing to do.” »
But for Helen Idiong, progress with the adoption of this text is not based only on marriage: “ This law also applies to education: with a high number of young people out of school, we can use this law to ensure that the government puts in place measures to ensure that these children go to school », she concludes.
Helen Idiong, Program Director at Plan International Nigeria