Abuja (Ministry of Women Affairs Report) – The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Habiba Lawal has observed that sustained advocacy is the key to successful domestication and full implementation of the Child Rights’ Law in Nigeria.
Habiba Lawal made the observation on Monday May 5, 2014 at the opening ceremony of the Technical Session of the Mid-Term Review Meeting of the 15th National Regular Council on Women Affairs and Social Development holding in Abuja.
She also expressed regret that the current security challenges in the country has greatly hampered the progress of the advocacy drive of her Ministry to the States, emphasizing that the strategies would be intensified not only in the fourteen remaining States that were yet to domesticate the Child Rights document, but in those States that have passed the law as well, in order to ensure its full implementation.
She advised that State Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Development should design appropriate strategies to sensitize stakeholders in their respective states – the Executive, Legislature, Traditional and Community Leaders and Local Councils towards adopting and implementing fully the Child Rights Law in line with the peculiarities and wishes of the people.
In the process of discussion, the meeting lamented the increasing cases of child rape and violence against children in the country. They called for zero tolerance to violence and rape against women, girls and minors. The Council also believed that the only panacea to the disturbing incidences of child rape and violence against children is the domestication and full implementation of the provisions of the Child Rights Law by all States of the federation.
While speaking at the meeting, Habiba Lawal noted that the review meeting was intended to assess the level of implementation of the resolutions of the last Council Meeting held in Lokoja, Kogi State in June 2013. The exercise, she said will entail reporting on the levels of successes recorded so far and the challenges encountered in the process of implementation with a view to collectively proffering solutions for smooth implementation.
She emphasized on the need to build synergy between the three tiers of government, Development Partners and relevant stakeholders towards formulating and implementing policies and programmes that have positive impact on the lives of women, children, Persons with Disabilities, the Elderly and other vulnerable groups in the society.
“The National Council on Women Affairs and Social Development is charged with the responsibilities of formulating and implementing policies and programmes in the three tiers of government for the development of women, children, Persons with Disabilities, the Elderly and other vulnerable Nigerians,” she indicated.
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