70 percent of children in detention, lack access to justice in Nigeria- UNICFF
By Ladi Dapson
United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF has advocated for justice which will ensure all children, irrespective of their background, status are served by the justice system in their best interest in accordance with International and Nations norms and standards.
Also, the UN agency claimed that, there are over 190,000 children that are held in per-trail status in the last five years across facilities in the country.
The UNICEF Chief of Maiduguri Field Office, Dr. Tushar Rane said this while speaking during a one day workshop with the theme, “Reimagine Justice For Children Agenda” organized by the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF in collaboration with Borno State Government held in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
He said the meeting aimed at promoting an inclusive justice system where cases involving children matter.
In addition to safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of children, it is also critical for the security and development framework of the state.
“Over 70% of Children in detention are held at pre-trial status often lack access to diversion and non-custodial services for their reintegration.
“An efficient juvenile justice for children in conflict with the law will guarantee age-appropriate services for children recognized or alleged to have committed crimes especially for diversion and community-based reintegration programmes. Borno State can save the future generation and cut-off the risk of associated children and misused in crimes and conflict situation,”he said.
He reiterated that the meeting signals a renewed efforts of stakeholders coming together to enhance synergy and coordination to improve capacities, information sharing to ensure access to justice for child survivors of violence especially sexual violence and as a result end the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of violence against children.
“Borno State Child Protection Law (CPL) provides a comprehensive legal framework of the protection of vulnerable children. The challenge for this august gathering is to develop initiatives and reforms that will indeed enforce the letters of the law by establishing institutions created by the CPL including family courts, specialised police unit, diversion and special correctional centres for children. Implementation of these structures remains challenging.
“UNICFF is committed to contributing to support the state government in the implementation of the ‘reimagine Justice for Children agenda which seeks principally to protect children from detention, ensure every child h survivor has access to justice in a timely manner.”he said.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Barr. Abdullahi Hauwa reiterated government positions to ensure that everybody in the state including children have access to Justice.
“We want to have a proper juvenile justice system in which our children in the state will be having access to Justice in a less difficult manner.
“Justice and good governance go hands hand in hand and when there is good governance so you can’t take away Justice in the equation. This is all about restructuring and rebuilding our justice system with emphasis to justice for our children and society at large.” Barr Hauwa stressed.
