CHILD MOLESTATION AND CHILD RIGHT ACT

A woman Called Mama Jenifer is said to have cut off a finger of her 10 years old house maid for stealing a piece of meat from a pot of soup, the woman owns and operate a restaurant  around Akousa New Layout, Ibuso/Asaba axis of Delta State. The suspect has been arrested by the State CID were she was detained and interrogated on what led to the incident.............CULLED

Mama Jennifer deserve to be jailed, how on earth will anyone do this to a fellow human being talk less of a 10 years old child,  she has no doubt committed an offence punishable with a term of imprisonment for child abuse  and attempted murder.

It is worthy to educate/enlighten the general public on the rights of every child, enlightenment is superior to enforcement. Every child is equal before the Law, whether adopted, maid, neighbour’s child, rich or poor background.

The child right Act 2003 made proviso for the right of every child in Nigeria.

A child for the purpose of this discussion and under the act is anybody under the age of 18years. 

99.9% of parents treats and protect the interest of their child (ren) but what happens to that child that lives with them.

It is no longer news that most average families in Nigeria have a child living with them often referred to as ‘maid’ that helps in house chores and taking care of their own child.

The question now is that are those ‘maids’ children too? Do they have a right protected under the Child Rights Act 2003?

The answer is not farfetched, many custodians are ignorant of the right protected under the child’s right act and these rights are as follows;

(i)                  No Nigerian child shall be subjected to physical, mental or emotional injury, abuse or neglect.

(ii)                The dignity of the child shall be respected at all times.

(iii)               Freedom from discrimination on the ground of belonging to a particular community or ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or circumstances of his birth.

(iv)              Making tattoos or mark and female genital mutilation are punishable offences under the act.

(v)                Child trafficking ,abduction and forced exploitative labour are stated to be offences

(vi)              Betrothal and marriage of children are prohibited.

(vii)             Every parent or guardian having legal custody of a child under the age of 2 years shall ensure its immunization against diseases of fake judicial penalties.

Anyone found guilty of any of the above mentioned rights will face judicial penalties because those rights are enforceable.

Am sure some women will say ‘thank God my maid is from Togo, i do not have problem, i am sorry to disappoint you, the definition of who a child is doesn’t change from Asia,  Europe, America, Africa   and to those men whose wives have maids you are as liable as your wife as provided in section 340 of the criminal code any husband or wife of an offender who is guilty of endangering the life of servants will equally be guilty and it is also aiding and abetting.

My advise goes to women, if we must have maids lets endeavor to put them in government public schools where we cannot afford a private school for them, this will not only put us on the positive side of law, we’ll be greatly rewarded by God Almighty.

STOP SLAVERY EVERY CHILD DESERVES CHILDHOOD.

Oyenike Alliyu-Adebiyi Llb(hons) BL