Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, has urged the remaining state governments to conduct Children’s Parliament elections aimed at promoting the rights and protection of children against violence and harmful practices.
She made the call in Abuja during the swearing in and inauguration of the newly elected principal officers the 7th National Children’s Parliament.
Dame Pauline Tallen said the children’s Parliament was a platform for promoting child’s rights and facilitate their participation in all matters affecting them in accordance with the child rights Act and the United Nation Convention and the rights of the child.
” I wish to use this platform once again passionately appeal to the remaining States to conduct election of their State Children’s Parliament. And to send their representation to join the 7th National Children’s Parliament as we do not wish to leave any State behind,” she said.
The Director Advocacy and Campaign Save the Children International Nigeria, Mr Amanuel Mamo called government to double investment in children’s rights and prioritise the poor implementation of child’s sensitise policies and strategies nationwide.
“Children are experiencing several challenges including sexual abuse, molestation, violence including rape and other challenges in the country. We would like to urge the national children’s parliament to be part of the discussion regarding the next generation that we would like to see in this country.” He said
Similarly, UNICEF’s Country Representative to Nigeria, Cristian Munduate represented by Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Mr Godwin Chinedu-Odo appealed to the newly inaugurated parliament to review the content of the seven-point agenda of commitment that the Nigerian government made to Nigerian children and demand implementation.
” Look at which aspect has been implemented and then demand implementation. That is how you can now say ably representing all the children in Nigeria as their representative in the children’s parliament,” he said.
In her inaugural speech, the newly elected Speaker of the 7th National Children’s Parliament, 13year old, Miss Umeh Progress, from Akwa Ibom state said a lot still needed to be done to ensure the survival, security and equality of the Nigerian child.
“We must ensure that Female Genital Mutilation, Child Trafficking and labour, sexual exploitation and harassment of children and other harmful practices that impacts the lives of the Nigerian children becomes an issue of the past. We must go beyond just domestication, but ensure each and every state, begins to implement the Child Rights Law. Our administration will create a platform that with the support of key stakeholders allow children to express their concerns about their development, survival and participation.” She said
10 members of the were elected as principal officers of seventh National Children’s Parliament which included, Sulaiman Zannah from Borno state as the Deputy Speaker, amongst others.
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