AllAfrica news
written by Onyinyechi Udemezue, Daily Champion
Tuesday June 21, 2011
Abuja — Federal government yesterday expressed fears that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) would not be achieved if the rate of flagrant abuse of children and child remains high in the country.
Disclosing this at the technical meeting on Community Based Sensitization against Stigmatization of Nigerian Children as Witches/Wizards, the Executive Secretary of National Agency for Prohibition in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) Mr. Simon Egede noted with dismay that accusing Nigerian children as witches and wizards is widespread in the country.
Egede who said the federal government was vehemently opposed to any practice that exposes children to abuse and exploitation added that the act makes the children more vulnerable to be trafficked.
According to him, "it is unfortunate to note that, the institutions that have the primary responsibility to care for children have closed ranks against them and are the ones that are victimizing them most".
The NAPTIP boss alleged that the escalation of the problem is closely tied to the proliferation of religious or spiritual organizations, which are independent of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
He however regretted that the institutions that have primary responsibility for the care of children are actually instrumental to their abuse and exploitation, thereby leaving them with no escape route, no hope and no where to turn to.
Speaking further, Egede noted that when the various human rights convention on the child's rights are considered, they correctly appear applicable to human beings but not necessarily child specific and therefore fail to address the peculiar needs of children in their entirety.
Every child, he said, is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person and accordingly, no child should be subjected to physical, mental or emotional injury; abuse, neglect or maltreatment including sexual abuse.
Also, no child should be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as well as to be subjected to attacks upon his/her honour or reception.
Declaring the 2-day workshop open, the Permanent Secretary of Women Affairs and Social Development, Idris Kuta who conveyed the event decried that the alleged child witch/wizard is been subjected to all manner of abuse ranging from stigmatization, discrimination, ostracism, severe beating, cutting and starving.
Others he said are burnt, poisoned, raped; abandoned, brutally tattooed, murdered or buried alive.
The Permanent secretary also noted that it is usually difficult to mention all the kinds of abuses meted to these children since some of them are unreported.
The experts at the workshop however called on religious leaders to adopt child-friendly and protective doctrines in places of worship.
The church/mosque they said is a very powerful agent of change and being in control of large number of congregation is at a vantage position to direct the thought process of its congregation concerning child witch stigmatization.
1 comment:
Hi, I don't know if you've heard of the UK based charity Stepping Stones Nigeria (SSN) but they and their Nigerian partner organisations have launched a global campaign to Prevent Abuse of Children Today (PACT), particularly those who suffer horrific abuses after being accused of witchcraft and/or at risk from traffickers.
Witchcraft is often seen as the source of problems within Nigerian society with vulnerable children being the group most at risk of witchcraft accusations. Children stigmatised as witches face abandonment by their families and communities, torture, public humiliation, disgrace and even murder.
To help end this terrible abuse we urge you to stand with us to Prevent Abuse of Children Today. There are lots of ways for you to get involved with the campaign, in particular signing our PACT, holding events and writing letters. Visit our website www.makeapact.org to sign the PACT and help us spread the word.
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