UNICEF wants family courts to check child abuse

The United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) has called on the three tiers of government to establish family courts as enshrined in the Child Rights Act (CRA) to protect the child from abuse.

Sharon Oladiji, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

She attributed the increasing rate of child abuse to the absence of institutions to check the trend.

She said that the call became necessary to severely deal with perpetrators of violence against children.

Oladiji, who explained that the court would specifically deal with perpetrators of violence against children, identified violence to include emotional, physical and sexual acts.

She decried the failure of a lot of families affected in such situations to speak out when their children or wards were violated by relations.

She said that a lot of children fell prey to perpetrators of violence because of the failure of parents or guardians to allow them have a say in matters affecting their lives.

The expert said because of the failure of society and the government to punish perpetrators of the acts adequately, they did not see anything wrong in their actions.

According to her, lapses by the government and families have further encouraged perpetrators to continue in their acts.

Oladiji called for early reporting of cases toward reducing the trend.

She said that the N500, 000.00 fine or five years imprisonment for perpetrators of sexual abuse and unlawful sexual intercourse, among others, enshrined in section 34 of the Child’s Rights Act, was mild.

Oladiji appealed for a stiffer penalty, such as death sentence, for offenders to deter prospective violators.

According to her, establishment of the courts, existence of champions that will champion the cause of children whose rights have been violated, among others, will check the excesses of offenders.

“At the moment, the impunity is high; people do it and get away with it.

‘’There is no court system that specifically deals with all kinds of perpetration or perpetrators and as enshrined in that law.

“What we need is to speak about it and encourage our government to establish it; it may not be as costly as you think.’’

The expert highlighted some provisions of the Child Rights Act to include right to survival, development, protection and participation.

According to her, the protection right is essential for safeguarding children and adolescents from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation.

NAN reports that CRA, enacted on July 2003, is meant to protect the child from all sorts of violation.