Child Protection Remains A Challenge In Nigeria – Experts

Issues affecting child protection in Nigeria and other West African countries took a centre stage at a three-day workshop organised recently, in Badagry.

The workshop which was put together by Terre des hommes Foundation (ENDA) Youth Action and the African Movement of Working Children and Youth (AMWCY) and sponsored by the European Union (EU) aimed to improve the knowledge of participants on child protection and the concepts of mobility.

Declaring the workshop open, Mr. Akeem Muri-Okunola, the Permanent Secretary Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, who was represented by Mrs. Modupeola Sahi-Adebambo, Head of Child Protection in the Ministry advised Terre des hommes and other child protection actors at the workshop to work closely with right people working in their key intervention areas.

Mrs. Sahi-Adebambo added that children will only benefit more if all actors work together as a team.

She also urged them to think more on what they can give for the success of the project rather than what they can get.

Speaking earlier, Mrs. Osoba Olapeju, Head of Country Office of Terre des hommes in Nigeria, recalled that  her organisation with the support of EU in  2017   launched  a project  aimed  at  protecting   migrant children along Abidjan-Lagos corridor in the West African coastal region which  is  also known as CORAL PROJECT.

Mrs. Olapeju  said  the choice of drawing  participants from Lagos and Ogun state was because the project’s intervention areas cover both states. She added that the workshop hope to ensure  that participants recognise their roles in the protection of migrant children and how important it is to advocate for their rights.

She reminded the participants that all children have equal rights, migrant children inclusive and added that the same rights that are extended to other children should  be extended to migrant children.

In her words: “The migration of people is an issue that present us as a people with a lot challenges. The reality over the years has shown that people can’t be stopped from moving. People move for various reasons, but most of these movements come with a lot risks and dangers especially for children who are directly or indirectly affected and who sometimes are unaccompanied.

“The need to reduce their vulnerability and increase their access to development opportunity cannot be overemphasised. Our timely commitment and support for the protection of children on the move or those who are affected by migration will go a long way in preventing future emergencies such as the recent Libya example,” Osoba added.

She however added that leaving the responsibility of the protection of migrant children to only the institutional actors without involving the community actors will not yield the desired result, saying that the primary host of migrant children and children on the move is the community where they live.

According to her, working directly with actors such as traditional rulers, chiefs, market leaders, religious leaders in those community will ensure their   protection, reduce their risk and increase their opportunity of having access to capacity building or skill acquisition.

She advised the protection actors to always show interest and invest their time in carrying out their duty professionally.

“Creating a synergy and a strong network among the actors will surely improve the condition of migrant children and those of children on the move,” she added.

Mrs. Ngozi Okoro, Child Protection Network (CPN) Coordinator described the training as an opportunity for CPN members especially those working with street children to learn how to identify and help migrants children.

Participants at the workshop were drawn from the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, The Child Protection Network Ogun State, the media and  others.