Girl-child Day: Assemblyman advocates review of Child Rights Act

An Assemblyman, Mr Chima Obieze, representing Ezeagu Constituency in the Engu State House of Assembly, has suggested the review of the 2003 Child Rights Act.

The suggestion is contained in a statement he personally signed and made available to our reporter on Sunday in Enugu to commemorate the International Girl-Child Day.

According to him, the review will promote and ensure the rights of the girl-child in the state.

He, therefore, urged all state legislature to codify the law and move for possible adjustment so as to make the country a better place for girl-children and women.

“Children’s Rights Act of 2003 was passed into law at the Federal level, but it will only be effective if state assemblies also codify the law for possible adjustments and domestication.

“The rights of the girl-child in Nigeria continue to be violated in spite of the very many provisions of the law guaranteeing such rights in domestic and international instruments.

“In my opinion, these violations persist because of various factors such as: the patriarchal social system adopted in Nigeria, the very high illiteracy rate of the Nigerian public especially in the rural area.

“Our ever present customary laws which treat the girl-child and, in fact women generally, as subservient to the man and with limited opportunities under custom to maximize potential.

“The various religious beliefs that insist that a woman’s individuality should be subject to the man’s who is superior,” parts of the statement read.

The Assemblyman urged the state government to intervene in implementing the Act by
strengthening legislative and institutional frameworks to protect children’s vulnerability to violence, abuse and exploitation.

He also called for a national children’s commission in order to effectively defend the rights of the girl-child in an educational, social, cultural, political, and economic context.

It was reported that the UN theme for the 2020 International Day of the Girl-Child is ‘Our Voice, Our Equal Future’.