NHRC Clamours For Urgent Implemenatation Of Child Rights Act Bill

Advocacy again has been drawn to the urgent implementation of the Child Rights Act bill which has being adopted by twenty four states out of the thirty six states in the federation to stop unlawful practices children are being subjected to.
Children seemed to be the target for this gathering which brought together representatives of different NGOs, the civil society, legal Practitioners as well as security agencies who are directly or indirectly involved with cases associated with violating the rights of children in the state.
These unlawful practices range from stigmatizing and branding them witches, subjecting them to unlawful traditional practises like genital mutilations, rape among others.
This formed the focus of discussion at a town hall meeting organised by the National Human Rights Commission for the promotion and protection on Human Rights in Nigeria in Calabar, the Cross River State Capital.
Secretary and C.E.O of the Commission, Ben Angwe, advised the students to be abreast of their human rights as this will not only expose them to the inherent benefits of knowing these rights,but enhance their ability to seek redress when such rights are violated.
According to Angwe, the enforcement of the implementation of the Child Rights Act would give children a voice in the society and put a stop to the illicit practices they are subjected to.
Guest Lecturer of the meeting, a Professor of Law as well as the Attorney General of Cross River state who doubles as the state’s Commissioner for justice, Nsongurua Udombana chaired the occasion.
He emphasised that, the issue of Human Rights is a collective one and urged the general public to support the commission towards this realization.
Other participants whose rights have been trampled upon used the forum to call on the attention of the Commission for its restoration.
With the National Human Rights Commission Amendment Act 2010 giving the Commission additional Powers to enforce the rights of any Nigerian whose rights have been violated either by individual, group or even government, it is hoped that justice will be meted on all who have been victims of abuse.