As part of the protocol towards the review of the 2003 Child’s Rights Act, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has said that the Tinubu Administration is committed to strengthening response towards child protection and development in Nigeria, noting that the review is gaining momentum.
The Director, Information and Public Relations in the ministry, Najaatu Alwan Hassan, said in a press release today that the minister spoke during a visit to an orphanage in Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where she handed over some relief materials.
The minister disclosed that the visit to orphanages is a directive by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in order to give a first hand knowledge in the review protocols.
She said, “I can assure you that we are 100 percent committed to ensuring that we do the necessary review for the legal instrument, so that we are well protected.”
The minister disclosed that the maiden visit was a nationwide commitment from President Tinubu, which the FCT happens to be the pilot state for everything that will be done.
“We are reviewing even adoption protocols, orphanages certification, because there is need for absolute protection and zero tolerance of any abuse on its citizenry,” she said.
While appreciating the players within the social development, social welfare space and the management of the orphanage for all the work they do, Sulaiman-Ibrahim reiterated that the overall benefit is to strengthen response to social protection.
She opined that nobody will be able to achieve anything in life without protection.
She further acknowledged the media as partners in progress as they are strong instruments in the area of sensitisation and advocacy in order to achieve the level of protection needed for the citizens of Nigeria.
Earlier, the Mandate Secretary, FCT Women Affairs, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins Laniyi, said the directive from the First Lady was a call for action.
She said: “We are simply here in line with our call to action, to present the Federal Capital Territory as a project pilot location for the enactment.
“There are 91 orphanages and we are doing a full review with the traditional rulership and the whole architecture.”
She said the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is the first platform of reference for the intervention of every child, leaving no child behind and leaving no institution representation of child welfare behind in putting together the intervention.
Recall that the Mandate of Women Affairs is to stimulate active participation of women and children in all facet of national life, including their empowerment, protection and advancement of the social lives of children and other vulnerable persons in Nigeria.
