Rape Cases on the increase in North East as 11 States Yet to Domesticate Child’s Rights Act

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From Ali Galadima, Bauchi

Concerned stakeholders on child and women rights have voiced
their concerns over the poor commitment of government, particularly the state
government in Northern Nigeria to protecting the rights of children despite
what they describe as an increase in cases of violence and abuse against
children.

This was revealed during a one-day consultative meeting on
Women and Countering Violent Extremism in the North East organised by the West
Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) with the support of Norwegian Agency
for Development and Cooperation (NORAD).

Speaking, at the event, a consultant, Profesor Patricia
Donli, lamented that some children in the Northeast have known nothing but
violence, explaining that the lack of implementation of relevant laws that
protects that protects the rights of children has given rise to varying degrees
of abuses.

According her, “Rape cases are on the increase in the
North East. We have four cases in Maiduguri IDPs alone last week. Just recently
two sisters were raped by a teacher, a little boy was nailed on his head.
General hospitals smell so bad because of girls suffering from VVF due to child
marriage,” Donli said.

Professor Donli regrets that 11 northern states are yet to
domesticate the Child Rights Act (CRA) enacted in 2003 and the VAPP Act and
even in states which have, implementations have been very slow due to lack of
coordination among actors and political will from government.

Donli urged states government not to see these policies as
acts that promotes child rights but see it as policies that will he used to
protect their children and place priority on them. She also called for
increased awareness on the law among the populace.

Speaking further on the state of violence and conflicts
across the country, Donli bemoaned the poor participation of women in
Countering Violent Extremism, despite the unique role they play in restoring
peace.

She recalled that Nigeria launched its second National
Action Plan for the Implementation of UNSC1235 and related resolutions  on 9 May 2017, for the period between 2017
and 2020. NAP being one of the most powerful tools governments, multilateral
organizations, and civil society have to increase the inclusion of women in
politics and peacebuilding, and the protection of women and girls in times of
war, was domesticated to State level State Action Plan (SAP) she said.

Donli said only four states in the North East has the SAP to
include Boronu, Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa. This according to is due to a lack of
political will in the part of government.

She also noted that the awareness level of SAP is very low
hence the need for sensitisation. “even if this places have SAP,  the implementation is very poor,  you find out that people are not even aware
of its existence.”

She also highlighted a lack of planned budget as a
constraint in the domestication and implementation of the law.

Contributing, the National Coordinator, WANEP-Nigeria, Ms.
Bridget  Osakwe, regrets that women and
girls bear most of the brunt of violence, yet are excluded in the peacebuilding
and conflict resolution processes.

Osakwe explained that, in the North East geo-political zone,
violent extremism has increased in tenacity from unabated attacks from the
violent extremist group Boko Haram.

“She said, Since the inception of this Islamic
extremist group in 1995, it has continued to intensify attacks in the
North-Eastern States and other parts of Nigeria. Over 40,000 Nigerians have
been killed in more than 2,300 incidents reflecting a wide range of ethnic,
religious, political and economic tensions across large portions of the
country. 

“This accounts for almost 40% of the total deaths more
than any other source of social violence in the country,” she said.

The head of programmes, WANEP,  Ms. Patience Obaulo, however informed that
the project seeks to promote women’s participation in countering violent
extremism to advance the implementation of Nigeria National Action Plan on
UNSCR 1325 at the local level in North East Nigeria.

She stressed that the role of women relating to countering
violent extremism (CVE) is a critical security issue that directly relates to
the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and the eight supporting resolutions on Women,
Peace and Security, most notably UNSCR 2242 and 2349.

Also, a representative from the ministry of women affairs.
princess Idonije applauded WANEP for convening all traditional
institutions  and relevant CSOs to foster
ways on improving the right of women and girls.