Coalition paves way for children to sue parents
WATCH it, parents. One instance of neglect or the rod wrongly applied can land you in court, and your accuser will be your child.
For years, seeking a better deal for the Nigerian child has been a popular topic. The Child Rights Act was the result of this crusade and many states have passed it into law. But implementation remains a hurdle. When will the child really begin to enjoy his rights to education, good health and even protection from abuse?
It was for this purpose that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) mobilised a wide range of professionals for a workshop in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. At the forum were magistrates, judges, police officers, assessors from ministries of women affairs and social development, practicing lawyers and other stakeholders from Plateau State.
The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, Plateau State, where it wants the family court system to become operational.
The family court is seen as a special court that handles matters of children’s rights infringements by their parents or guardians without the bottlenecks of the regular courts.
The basic protection rights for children and the need to keep them safe as well as to educate them on their own rights are contained in the child rights law but the question being asked is how many of these children know the existence of the law.
In redressing issues affecting children, conventional courts are reckoned to be counterproductive because they are seen as more punitive than corrective.
But how does the African society view a situation where a child takes his parents to court? Is it not an abomination? Won’t the parents beat the living daylights out of the child? Won’t a development like that have a negative impact on the society?
UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF ‘D’ office Bauchi, Nkiru Maduechesi in trying to answer some of these questions, said there is nothing in the development that offends Africa traditions and culture.
"It is erroneous to think that the essence of the law is to bring parents against children because if one takes time to go through the law without basing it on propaganda or misconceptions, then you will be convinced that the law has come to make the family even more united and make children even more responsible because they too have obligations not only to their parents but also to the larger society."
Professor Adedokun Adeyemi, a professor of law and criminology who delivered papers in which he highlighted some obligations of the child to their parents, superiors and the society.
The child, he said, is supposed to respect and assist his parents, elders and superiors at all times, and work towards the cohesion and developmentof the family, community, offer service to Nigeria.
On the other hand, parents or guardians must care for the child, educate him and ensure that he is properly raised and guided.
These, according to him, are required in order to put him in the right frame to appreciate and discharge his responsibilities.
Government also is to play its own part if the desired impact is to be felt and these he said include reduction in infant and maternal mortality, providing medical and health care, adequate nutrition and safe drinking water, hygienic and sanitised environment, among other things.
Professor Adeyemi explained that under such law, a child is not to be subjected to the regular criminal justice process or to criminal sanctions, where he or she is alleged to have committed an act which would constitute a criminal offence if he or she were an adult; rather, a child shall be subjected only to the child justice system created under the law.
He further explained that a child offender shall be handled by a specialised children police unit and efforts shall be made by the police, prosecutor, or the family court to dispose of the case of a child offender without resorting to formal investigations or trial processes. To this end, efforts shall be made to employ other means of settlement, such as conciliation, supervision, guidance, restitution and compensation.
The media, according to Akinyemi, is expected to create public awareness on the matter.
Legislators, as the elected representatives of the people, "have the primary responsibility for providing the legal framework for developmental policies in Nigeria; whilst they also have the responsibility for providing appropriate funding for policy implementation, as well as oversight responsibilities for monitoring and evaluating the nature and extent of policy implementation within their respective governmental jurisdictions.
"Within the context of the child’s rights legislation, therefore, it behoves the legislators to take the driving seat in providing the necessary legal framework for guaranteeing the promotion and protection of the rights of the child in their respective domains, and to ensure the proper implementation of the provisions of such legislations, as well as provide adequate financial resources for such implementation, and also to undertake effective monitoring of the implementation processes.
On the structures which are presently lacking but will help in the implementation of the courts, Nkiru Maduechesi told Newsextra that the D-Field office of UNICEF comprising 10 states, is committed to capacity building to make the family courts operational and accelerate the implementation of the Child Rights Act, passed since 2005.
The Plateau State Deputy Director, Citizens Rights and Law Reforms in the Justice Ministry, Mrs. Rauta Joshua Dakok commended UNICEF for organising the workshop which she said is aimed at helping their judges, police, magistrates, Ministry of Justice and that of women affairs in matters relating to children.
Dakok explained that about 40 participants from Plateau State attended the workshop, adding that it will help them to implement the child’s right law as passed by the state government.
Dakok said: "I urge the people of Plateau State to give government a supporting hand and let us give our children their rights; let us ensure that our children access justice so that they will not be left behind as it has been in the past." 
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