FG Begins Review of Child Rights Act, Seeks Stronger Protection System for Nigerian Children

The Federal Government has commenced a comprehensive review of the Child Rights Act (CRA) to strengthen the protection, welfare and rights of children in Nigeria in response to emerging challenges.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, stated this while delivering a keynote address at a stakeholders’ consultation on the review of the Act.

Fagbemi commended the Chairperson of the CRA Review Committee and members of the technical committee for their commitment and extensive work over the past year.

He said reviewing a law as comprehensive and consequential as the Child Rights Act required legal rigour, technical expertise, openness to diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to ensuring that the law effectively served the interests of children.

According to him, the Federal Government inaugurated the CRA Amendment Committee earlier in the year to update the legislation in line with emerging realities and strengthen mechanisms for the protection, welfare and rights of Nigerian children.

He also commended the committee for undertaking broad-based consultations, stressing that the contributions of stakeholders would be critical to producing a more effective and implementable law.

The minister drew attention to the scale of challenges confronting children in Nigeria, citing statistics which, according to him, showed the urgent need for a functional and adequately resourced child protection system.

He said about nine out of 10 Nigerian children were affected by violence in the home every month, while one in three girls was married before the age of 18.

He further noted that nearly half of Nigerian children were not registered at birth, while more than 130,000 children were reportedly detained alongside adults.

Millions of other children, he added, were engaged in exploitative forms of child labour.
“These figures should give us a basis of where we are and how critical this moment actually is to ensure that Nigeria has a functioning and adequately resourced child protection system,” he said.

Fagbemi stressed that the review should not become another consultation that ends without tangible improvements in the lives of children.

He challenged stakeholders to consider whether the revised law would make a practical difference to children experiencing physical, sexual or emotional violence, those in conflict with the law and families facing poverty, disability or other circumstances that could lead to unnecessary separation.

He said a strong Child Rights Act was only one component of an effective child protection system, noting that implementation would require adequately funded institutions and a professional workforce.

According to him, the country needs a child protection system capable of preventing harm, identifying children at risk and responding effectively whenever violations occur.

He called for the professionalisation and adequate funding of social workers, specialised police officers and child-friendly justice institutions.

“If we don’t have that frontline workforce, then this is not going to work,” he said, stressing that the aspirations contained in the legislation could not be achieved without the institutions, personnel and resources required for implementation.

The minister also identified effective family courts, adequately resourced social service personnel, child-sensitive policing and justice systems, referral and case-management mechanisms, reliable data, sustainable financing, monitoring and accountability as critical to successful implementation.

He said the revised legislation should help bridge the gap between national commitments and the actual protection available to children across states, local government areas and communities.

Fagbemi noted that the review had taken into consideration several longstanding and emerging child protection concerns, including violence, exploitation, harmful practices, child marriage and juvenile justice.

Other areas, he said, included online safety, institutional safeguarding, family strengthening, alternative care, children affected by conflict and humanitarian emergencies, disability inclusion, sustainable financing and accountability.

He stressed that the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child should continue to guide the review, particularly the principles of non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, survival and development, and children’s meaningful participation in decisions affecting them.

The minister said the effectiveness of the revised law should ultimately be measured by the changes it brought to the everyday experiences of children and families, rather than simply by the number of new provisions introduced.

He also assured stakeholders of the Federal Government’s commitment to working with the technical committee and development partners to produce a strong and practical legal framework and ensure its translation into measurable outcomes for children.

Fagbemi said the government would continue to provide leadership towards the timely consideration of the revised legislation by the National Assembly, adding that sustained ownership across government would be essential for effective implementation nationwide.

He observed that 23 years had passed since the original Child Rights Act was enacted, describing the review as an opportunity to develop a framework that reflected the realities of children today while remaining resilient enough to protect future generations.

He urged stakeholders to ensure that the consultation moved the country closer to a Nigeria where every child was recognised, protected and given the opportunity to thrive.