In commemoration of this year’s Children’s Day, the Child Protective Network (CPN), Lagos State, recently celebrated children in the state in a bid to make their voices heard To this end, CPN has urged all tiers of government to look into the welfare of children not only in Lagos State but in Nigeria as a whole as youngsters must be shown care.

Children-friendly policies

Lagos State Coordinator of CPN, Aderonke Oyelakin, stressed the need for governments to not only make but also implement policies such as the School Feeding Programme that would ensure that children in various states are not hungry and can therefore stay in school to learn.

This is as she said: “CPN Network is a network of NGOs that work with children across the nation. This is the Lagos State chapter and we are celebrating our children today.

I’m happy that the theme we have chosen is; ‘Inclusion for Every Child’ and shows that we want every child in Lagos State to be included in everything. Participation is very key.

“When it comes to welfare, protection, decision making and everything around their education, children should be carried along. And we shouldn’t separate a child because he or she has disabilities.

A child is first a child. The people we have here are children from different strata; orphanages, shelters, those in the streets, children with disabilities and we celebrate them.

“Our message to the government and stakeholders is that they should look at issues that our children are facing. First of all, the School Feeding Programme. Many children go to school hungry. We have heard of cases where children get to school and faint.’’

School environment

Oyelakin also tasked the government to make the school environment more safe and comfortable for children so that they would be able to learn in a conducive environment.

She said molestation of children both in the school environment and at home was already becoming a prevalent issue that the government and all stakeholders must tackle so as to make the society habitable for children.

According to Oyelakin: “We are saying their parents should take care of them but the government should find a way to ensure that they implement the policies well because some children are still not getting it as they should. Their protection in school is also very important.

“How can a child go to school and the child doesn’t go back home; something has happened to the child. He has been abused or molested. Where is safe for a child if the school environment is no longer safe? ‘‘If a child is at home and being molested by the neighbour, the child is not safe in the neighbourhood. I want to beg all of us as stakeholders that it’s a collective responsibility.

‘‘When we see that any child is undergoing any form of violence, it could be exploitation, prostitution, baby factory, if you see anything that looks like it and the child is always crying around your neighbourhood and no one attends to that child, go and look for what is happening.

“Call numbers in Lagos because you are a mandated reporter and that’s what our law says. Our law says that for children you are a mandated reporter, if you see anything you must say something.”

Inconclusiveness

Oyelakin also said it was important for both children and adults to be more aware about inclusiveness as all children deserve to be loved and cared for.

She disclosed: “We have over 350 children here and they are from all the local governments in Lagos State. They are children from all strata of life.

We bring them together so that they will begin to work together, tell us themselves what they expect from us as adults because it’s important for us to hear from them as children and know their pains and challenges so that we will know how to present it to the government.

“We have government representatives here too, it’s good for us to work together so that the stakeholders will also know that these children have told us their own plights and we can see how we can channel that and help them through it.”

Abused children

The President of African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), Mrs. Amanda Demechi Asagba, said the government needed to do more for children who had been molested as most times the offenders could be the ones providing for the children.

She said the government punished these offenders and did not make any provisions to provide or take care of the children; this would in turn lead to the creation of monsters in the children through neglect.

According to her: “We have seen a whole lot and it’s not palatable. It’s like the Nigerian child has been abandoned, neglected or forgotten. So much has happened out there. You will be shocked to know that with the entire advocacy we have been undertaking we still have children on the streets and out of school.

It is sad. “For those in schools you will see that in the midst of all these you hear of abductions, kidnappings, children are being defiled on a daily basis and that is very disheartening. It is so sad that the men are not out there to protect anymore. As young as even six months are being defiled on a daily basis. It’s really bad.”

Safety

The representative from the sponsors for the event, International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance), Abimbola Oshe, said that children’s inclusion and safety was a priority to the organisation and should be taken seriously at all times. “As you know today is Children’s Day and this event is about children.

So we are very interested in supporting anything that has to do with holistic development of the child,” she said. Speaking further she said: “I must say that first of all we are excited to support this event. We have been supporting child protection networks, child rescue at different levels and in different ways to support children.

“Like I said during my speech, there are three things for them; they are special, they are loved and they can achieve anything they want to achieve. They should not let anything put them down. Whatever the situation, we will have children with disabilities that are able as well. We are trying to say all children are special and we love them.”

Delight

A number of the children who took part in the celebration expressed their excitement and delight as well as appreciated the organisers, stressing that it was a privilege and honour for them to be so celebrated.

Victory Ekong of the Salvation Army, Onipanu, who participated in the event, expressed excitement and appreciation for the privilege to attend the event and learn about issues pertaining to children. “I’m excited, and I’m privileged to be here.

This is my first time being here, and I’m so excited. It’s a privilege to be here. “I would love the government to provide for children who are not going to school. Governments should provide their needs for them. Also, they should make children who are disabled feel special.”

Advocacy

The Child Protection Network is a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOS), professional and community associations involved in the protection of children and state agencies saddled with the statutory responsibilities of child Protection.

Some of the state agencies include the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Justice, National Orientation Agency, the Police, Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ministry of Labour, NAPTIP, NHRC, Legal Aids Council and so on.

The creation of the CPN was the idea of UNICEF Nigeria and The Child Protection Network exists in all the 36 states of Nigeria. Some of the networks have been in existence since 2010 while others were set up between 2011 and 2012.