“Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul”– Dave Pelzer, A Child Called “It.”

Despite the wide acceptance and ratification of the United Nations Conventions of the Rights of the Child- a human rights treaty which outlines the civil, political, economic, social, health, and cultural rights of children—by 196 countries in 1989, children all over the world continue to be abused, neglected, and exploited. In most Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) like Nigeria, the rights of children are violated daily and almost with impunity. Children are raped, maimed, starved, deprived of education, neglected, and engaged in child labor with inadequate judicial systems or institutions to seek redress.

In Nigeria, 10.5 million children are currently out of school. This figure constitutes half of the population of out-of-school-children (OOSC) in the world, which was pegged at 20.5 million² in 2017. 50 percent of the 10.5 million OOSC in Nigeria are girls and 50 percent of these populations are in Northern Nigeria- a region which has been plagued by the Boko Haram Insurgency since 2009. In addition to the huge number of OOSC, Nigeria’s educational system is deficient in more ways than one. Indeed, the poor educational system in Nigeria has been a literary staple. In 2017, Nigeria’s quality of education ranked 125^th out of 137 countries on the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Global Competitiveness Index. Nigerian public schools are characterized by dilapidated structures, inadequate educational materials, overcrowding, poor funding, and poorly trained teachers.

Then, there is the issue of insurgency. It is hardly novel that children are targets in the Boko Haram insurgency. Children are increasingly being kidnapped and used as child soldiers, suicide bombers, and sex slaves by the insurgents. The insurgents have kidnapped hundreds of girls from their school dormitories, as well as communities- the most recent being the abduction of 110 girls from their dormitory in Dapchi, Yobe state. Although 104 of the Dapchi girls have been returned, 1- Leah Sharibu, remains in captivity for her refusal to convert to Islam. Sadly, girls abducted by the insurgents are subject to systemic rape, which results in childhood pregnancies. Many of the young girls who get pregnant by their abductors are ostracized by community members on their release for carrying “children of Boko Haram.” The plight of children in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps are equally deplorable. With little or no government-led interventions, children (especially those who are orphaned by the insurgency) are vulnerable to sexual harassment and child labor in order to make ends meet.

A 2006 UNICEF report revealed that 15 million children under the age of 14 are working in Nigeria. Most recently, a 2016/2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS5) by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) revealed that about 50.8 percent of Nigerian children between the ages of 5 and 17 are involved in child labor. Poverty is a major reason for child labor in Nigeria. Extremely poor households are usually left with no option but to employ children as hawkers, messengers, house helps, and cleaners in order to improve chances for survival. Regardless of the preceding circumstances, however, child labor is a contravention on the rights of the child to protection.

Very recently, a documentary by a foremost media channel in Nigeria exposed violations of child rights in Cross River State of Nigeria. According to the narrative, the Becheve tribe of the state practiced a dehumanizing culture of giving out underage girls in marriage in exchange for a loan. Even worse, some girls are not even born yet when the loan is taken. In Nigeria, 43% of girls are married before they are 18 and 17% of girls are married before they turn 15. In 2003, the Child Rights Act set the age of married at 18. 15 years later, only 23 of the country’s 36 states have passed the act. Worse still, there is yet to be a consensus on the definition of the child among the states in Nigeria. While Awka Ibom state sets the age at 16 years, Jigawa state defines a child not by age but by puberty, allegedly for the purpose of early marriage.

The issue of Female Genital Mutilation/Circumcision (FGM/C) is still prevalent in Nigeria. The Violence against Persons Prohibition Act was signed May 2015 in order to curtail and criminalize FGM/C in Nigeria. However, the practice still thrives, particularly in the South-western region of Nigeria. According to the cultural beliefs, circumcision of girls reduces promiscuity and sexual urges. Statistics from the MICS5 (2016/2017) reveals that 27 percent of women between the ages of 15-47 have been circumcised. Parents who refuse to subject their female children for circumcision are ostracized and threatened with death through diabolical means. This was the case of Mrs. Oluwakemisola Falade of Akoko Community, Ondo State, who was threatened with banishment by members of the community because of her refusal to allow the circumcision of her five and nine year old daughters. Eventually, Mrs. Falade had to cave in to the demands of the community after pleas and international outcries against the practice fell on deaf ears.

There is also a prevalence in malnutrition among children under five years. The MICS5 (2016/2017) report revealed that underweight prevalence (children who are too thin for their age) increased from 24.2% to 31.5%, stunting prevalence (children who are short for their age) increased from 34.8% to 43.6%, while wasting prevalence (children who are too thin for their height) increased marginally from 10.2% to 10.8%. This is despite efforts by the government, the United Nations, and the private sector to curb this menace.

Additionally, the MICS5 (2016/2017) in Nigeria also provided a rather saddening insight on child aggression. According to the statistics, the percentage of children who had experienced psychological aggression or physical punishment was 84.9 percent. The National Dailies in Nigeria is replete with heart-wrenching stories of domestic violence against children. Children who are sent to live with relatives as maids in order to gain an education suffer an even worse fate.

From the foregoing, it can be argued that Nigeria is not a safe place for children and that the country still has a long way to go in ensuring the rights of the child. To do this, the Federal Government, as well as the 36 states governments, must come to a consensus on the definition of the child in accordance with the UN CRC. Secondly, it is quite appalling that there is no Ministry for Children in Nigeria- the closest that comes to that is the Ministry of Education. A Ministry or, in the least, an agency, for children should be established with a responsibility for the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural well-being of children. Punitive measures and systems for violators of child rights should be taken seriously, as this would deter intending offenders. Furthermore, upholding the rights of children is not just a duty for the government alone, it requires concerted efforts between all strata and spheres of the society. The 3 P’s of the Child Rights Act : Provision, Protection and Participation must be upheld in order to build a sustainable future for children.