National Children’s Parliament calls on leaders to prioritize Child Rights, secure Nigeria’s future

The 7th National Children’s Parliament has urged governments and other stakeholders to prioritize children’s rights and welfare to safeguard Nigeria’s future.

The Parliamentarians made the call on Friday, at a two-day capacity-building session organized by Save the Children International in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs in Abuja.

The Parliament members highlighted critical issues affecting children, including limited educational access, child abuse, insecurity, child marriage, climate change, among others.

Speaker Rt. Hon. Umoh Progress called on policymakers to take decisive actions to address the challenges facing Nigerian children, emphasizing the need to protect future generations.

She said, “Children are the seeds of our future. Just as the crops we reap tomorrow depend on the seeds we sow today, let us remember that the greatest legacy we can leave our children is the wealth of their potential. Let us protect them.”

Duncan Harvey, Country Director for Save the Children International Nigeria, urged governments at all levels to prioritize budgets for children and ensure the implementation of their rights and privileges.

He encouraged Nigerian children to continue using the Parliament as a platform to voice their concerns on issues affecting them.

Mr. Harvey said, “This assembly is a critical public structure that ensures children’s participation in decision-making processes. It’s a platform where children across the nation can come together to raise concerns about issues affecting them.

“Speaking out is one of the rights given to children under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and the Child Rights Act of Nigeria.

“Save the Children in Nigeria firmly believes that this assembly provides an opportunity for children to express their views freely, have those views taken seriously, influence decision-making, and receive feedback on how their participation has impacted these changes.

“Violence against children can be prevented when the government, civil society, communities, and individuals unite with shared vision and commitment to take action and support the protection of children.

“We hope that, through this forum, we can work together to ensure that all forms of violence, harmful practices, and abuses against children are combated, allowing them to realize their full potential and rights.”

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Ambassador Gabriel Aduda, assured Nigerian children that their voices would be represented at the upcoming Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children in Bogotá, Colombia.

Aduda, who was represented by the Ministry’s Director of Child Development, Mr. Ali Madugu, said, “This sitting is particularly significant as it coincides with Nigeria’s preparations for the first global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, scheduled for Bogotá, Colombia, from November 7 to 8, 2024.

“In line with international best practices, children’s perspectives have been integrated into the country’s commitments to be presented at the conference. Today’s sitting will further add value to this document,” he noted.

An Assistant Director in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty, Mrs. Nfawa Usani, called for attention to the rights of less-privileged children, expressing confidence that safeguarding children’s rights will secure Nigeria’s future.

She said, “I believe the future is bright for every child. If the government prioritizes issues concerning children, as outlined in the Child Rights Act, and ensures these matters are implemented and adequately funded, every child will have a positive and progressive future.”