MAKURDI – The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has pledged to support the Benue state government implement the Child Justice Reform System in the state.

Children’s Day

The UNICEF Chief of Field Office Enugu, Mr. Ibrahim Conteh, who made this known yesterday at a Consultative Meeting on Benue State Adjudication Guideline for Child Offenders, in Otukpo, said the reforms would ensure that vulnerable children receive child-sensitive services.

Represented by Mrs. Nkiru Maduechesi, the Child Protection Specialist, he said, “the adjudication guidelines serves as useful decision making tool for judicial officers in disposing of cases of children in conflict with the law in accordance with the letters and spirit of the UN Convention on the Right of the Child and the Child Rights Law.

“It is hoped that the following the guidelines approaches, disposing cases involving children will be more predictable and aligns to age-appropriate restorative services by the judiciary by recognizing unique attributes and circumstances of each child such as biological, psychological, social–economic factors, while providing a more restorative, rehabilitative judicial process that can reintegrate the child to the family and society.

“UNICEF therefore enjoins strategic stakeholders to review the draft guideline critically with a view to having a guideline that is practical and responsive to the situation of children in Benue state.

“We equally urge the Chief Judge of the state for an accelerated consideration and endorsement to further equip the family courts with the tools for the dispensation of Justice in cases involving children”

In his speech, the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Iorhemen Hwande said such laws as the Children and Young Persons Law of the respective states of the federation had been directed at giving Children and young persons some measure of soft landing as against the hash consequences that attended to infractions of the law.

Represented by Justice Adam Onum, he stated that, “some other provisions are tucked into our laws to put the interest of the child, especially when it comes to custody and guardianship, at the forefront of all judicial decisions.

“Some other laws absolve children of criminal responsibility for actions that would have otherwise have been crimes if committed by adults.

“The present approach therefore is only a more proactive step towards protecting the rights of children in line with international best practices in order to position them to become more responsible members of the society and for leadership . This is why the Child’s Rights Act 2003 and it’s domestication in the state is a welcome idea.

“Hence, it is hoped that the implementation of the laws will receive the full support of government at all levels so that our children will be properly positioned to eventually assume the leadership roles that are undoubtedly their lot.

“The establishment of the Family Court with the specialized mandate to address the kind of delinquency that is now threatening the very foundation on which our nationhood rests could not have come at a more auspicious time.”