News

May 25, 2018

Minster wants family courts set up in states

Minster wants family courts set up in states

Director General, Department of State Service, Alhaji Lawan Daura (l) discussing with (from the right) the Minister fpr Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Minister of State for Power Works and Housing (1), Mallam Mustapher Shehuri; Minister for Women Affairs, Hajia Aisha Alhassan and the Minister of State for Power Works and Housing (2), Alhaji Suleiman Hassan as President Muhammadu Buhari launched Nigeria’s Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism while from during a meeting at the Aso Chambers, State House, Abuja.

Abuja – The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan, on Friday called on states to establish up Family Courts to handle child-related cases.

Alhassan


Alhassan made the appeal at a news conference and inauguration of the 6th National Children’s Parliament (NCP) ahead of the Children’s Day celebration in Abuja.

The theme of this year’s event is “Creating Safe places for Children: Our Collective Responsibility”.
She said the welfare of the Nigerian child was protected by the Child Rights Act, adding that the best interest of the child is the primary consideration.

“Despite all state interventions, the Nigerian child is still not safe and is faced with all forms of challenges such as violence, abuse, exploitation, maltreatment on daily basis at home, streets, schools and child care institutions.

“On many occasions, these abuses are either perpetrated by family members or caregivers who are supposed to provide care, safety and protection,” Alhassan said.
The minister said it was unfortunate that children’s access to justice was almost non-existent as some children were kept in detention centres.

“This situation is unfair and not acceptable, and I call on the security agencies, judiciary, National Human Rights Commission, NAPTIP, Legal Aid Council, National Assembly and relevant stakeholders to ensure the situation change.

“Children are assets to any nation, they are future leaders of any society and nation, therefore, they are the focal of a country’s development index,” she said.

The minister, however, appealed to Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kastina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Borno States to domesticate the Child Rights Act.

She called on Nigerians to scale up best practices to end all forms of violence against children.
Alhassan said the ministry had carried out programmes to promote the rights of the Nigerian child to survival, development, protection and participation.

Children’s day is commemorated in Nigeria on May 27 every year. (NAN)