The Federación Internacional de Abogadas, also known as International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), an international non-governmental organization that enhances the status of women and children by providing legal aid, legal literacy and education programs, and through advocacy, law reform, research, etc., has called for a better welfare for the African child.
The Enugu branch of FIDA made the call on Wednesday in commemoration of ‘2021 Day of the African Child’ with the theme: “30 years after the adoption of the Charter, accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for children”.
Speaking at the event held at Queens school Enugu, Justice CN Nwobodo highlighted that the African charter is made to take care of the rights of an African child, to prioritise their welfare and protect their dignity.
Justice Nwobodo also frowned at the attitude of young persons, allowing themselves to be distracted and encouraged them to show good virtues which will make them to be outstanding and survive the economic realities on ground.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the event, CSP, Nwachukwu; the officer in-charge of legal matters at Enugu State Police Command charged the students to be dedicated in their studies because they are the future leaders of tomorrow.
He enjoined them to shun any act that will jeopardise their future because the nation needs them while advocating that all hands must be on deck to ensure these futures of tomorrow are protected and better provided for.
FIDA Enugu Branch Chairperson, Sylvia Abanah (Esq) in her welcome address said the theme of this year’s celebration couldn’t have come at a better time because the African child deserves better.
She called for more to be done to enforce the rights of the African Child. She also applauded the Enugu State government for domestication of the child law known as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPPA).
In her address, F.C. Enechi, the chairperson, FIDA Enugu branch of the Day of the African Child Committee went down memory lane to highlight on the events that led to designating of every June 16th, as the day if the African child.
According to her, on the 16th of June 1976, thousands of black students from Soweto in South Africa protested the poor quality of their education which was characterized by systematic discrimination against black student. The protest which lasted for weeks led to the shooting of the students by security forces.
And to honour what will later be described as “Soweto Uprising”, the Organisation of African Union (now African Union) in 1991 established the “DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD”.
Mrs. Enechi said that the day presents another opportunity to raise awareness on the need to improve the education of children living a cross Africa stressing that poverty, violence, abuse, hunger, diseases, etc., still persists.
She maintained that 30 years since the adoption of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), its pertinent to examine the progress made towards ensuring that those rights are substantively achieved.
The guest speaker, Mrs. Annie Enweani (Esq) disclosed that there are many aspirations of the Agenda 2040 and chief amongst them is the need to prevent violence against women and children and need to end child mortality.
Other aspirations include: domestication of the child law act, ensuring that every child is well nourished, access to proper education amongst others.
She also condemned the blaming of rape victims and attributing their ordeal to their mode of dressing querying if a 7-year-old girl that gets raped is about dressing too.
Mrs. Enweani also pointed out that to accelerate the implementation of the Agenda 2040, churches, civil society organisations, religious bodies, others should get involved in the advocacy and called for the regular evaluation of what has been done so far as a way of ensuring faster result.
The event was attended by secondary school students drawn from major schools in Enugu State.
Highlights of the event was spelling competition, presentation of prizes to winning schools and certificates of participation.
