Advocacy for the rights of children in Nigeria spans many facets, and stakeholders must fully understand the issues and the roles of all stakeholders at all levels. Child rights in Nigeria involve supporting, at all levels (Federal, state, and Local government) and by all stakeholders (state and non-state actors), the enforcement of the Child’s Rights Act (2003) and the various state child rights laws. The rights of children, which include rights to education, healthcare and freedom from all abuse and exploitation, must not be compromised in any way, and we must have mechanisms in place to hold all stakeholders responsible at all times. The cultural context of Nigeria as it affects and shapes children’s rights must always be considered in our advocacy and petition, while looking at ways of strengthening legal implementation and raising awareness, especially at the community level.
Methods of advocacy
Legal and institutional reform: Working to ensure better implementation and enforcement of the Child’s Rights Act at the federal level and the Child’s Rights laws at the state level. Legal reform does not stop at the passage of an Act or a law; implementation is very critical in promoting legal and institutional reform.
Public awareness and education: Using methods like school programs and media campaigns to inform the public about children’s rights and their importance. Educating the populace on the provisions of the law on children’s rights is very important; our public awareness must not be vague or inaccurate
Community engagement: Working with communities to address harmful cultural and traditional practices and build a culture that prioritises the child’s well-being should be what we do as stakeholders. We must recognise cultural and traditional practices that promote the rights of children, then support communities to enshrine those practices in their norms
Capacity building: Empowering children to know their rights and advocate for themselves and their peers is very important in advocating for the rights of children. We must develop materials that will assist children in having a better understanding of their rights and the provisions of the relevant laws in Nigeria. We must build their capacity to be advocates and then create platforms for them to express themselves. Finally, in advocating for the rights of children, data is very important and data-driven advocacy is key in advocating for change in the child protection landscape in Nigeria. Significant gaps in data further complicate the landscape of child rights in Nigeria, and the lack of comprehensive data on child violations inhibits effective policymaking and intervention strategies. A report by UNICEF (2020) suggests that systematic data collection and analysis are crucial for understanding the prevalence and dynamics of child rights violations in Nigeria.
