Worried over the high rate of child abuse in the state, a Non-Governmental Organisation in Nasarawa State, Centre For Women, Youth and Community Action (NACWYCA), has appealed to the state government to commence implementation of the Child Rights Act that was domesticated 17 years ago.

The group said that the implementation of the Act would mitigate the high rate of abuses and violations on children.

The Executive Director of the NGO, Nawani Aboki, disclosed this when he led staff members of the organisation on advocacy visit to the Nasarawa Ministry of Justice, as well as that of Women Affairs, yesterday, in Lafia.

Aboki said: “This advocacy project seeks to build support with key stakeholders for full implementation of the Child Rights Law in Nasarawa.”

He explained that the Child Rights Act was passed by Federal Government in 2003 and was domesticated in Nasarawa in 2005, and 17 years after, the state is yet to implement the laws.

“To mitigate the impact of these neglect, abuses and violations on children, in 2003, the government passed the instrument called the Child Rights Act, which was later domesticated by several states, including Nasarawa state in 2005,” Aboki noted.

He, however, explained that the growing spate of child abuses in the state and country, at large, is worrisome; hence, the need to speed up implementation.

He said that the visit was part of activities under the scale project supported by Palladium/USAID.

He explained that the establishment of an effective family court, construction of the functional juvenile home, construction of safe space for children in conflict with the law or in need of special protection, as well as provision of yearly budgetary allocation for implementation of the act in the state by 2023, will go a long way in protecting the rights of children.

While receiving the delegation, Aisha Rufai, Commissioner of Women Affairs, described NACWYCA as a reliable partner of the ministry.

Aisha stated, however, that it is the responsibility of all to ensure that the rights of the child are protected, noting that the ministry will continue to work in that direction.

Similarly, the Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Kana, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Isaac Edoh, promised to collaborate with the organisation for the protection of the rights of children.