The Bauchi State Child Protection Law, enacted in 2023, aims to safeguard the rights, welfare, and well-being of children in the state. Advocates for the law’s implementation recently convened a stakeholders’ roundtable to assess its current status, identify challenges, and propose actionable recommendations. The overarching goal is to ensure that the law translates into tangible improvements in the lives of vulnerable children, effectively combating the pervasive issues of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The stakeholders, including legal professionals, child rights advocates, and students, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to bring about meaningful change.
A key takeaway from the roundtable was the crucial role of the media in championing the law’s implementation. Stakeholders urged media organizations to engage in investigative journalism to expose child rights violations and maintain continuous public engagement. They also recommended dedicating special programs to discuss the law, partnering with civil society organizations for media sensitization workshops on ethical reporting of child abuse, and leveraging digital platforms and social media to disseminate information on child protection rights and legal processes. By amplifying the voices of children and holding duty bearers accountable, the media can act as a powerful catalyst for change.
Despite the law’s enactment, its implementation has been slow and faces numerous obstacles. Harmful cultural norms, such as child marriage, continue to undermine child protection efforts. Bureaucratic delays, weak evidence collection, slow investigations, and inadequate legal advisory support create significant enforcement gaps. These challenges result in survivors of abuse lacking access to proper legal, emotional, and psychosocial support services. The absence of fully established child protection committees at the state and local government levels further hinders awareness and effective interventions.
The stakeholders identified several key recommendations to accelerate the law’s implementation. They called for increased funding for child protection initiatives and ensured the timely disbursement of allocated resources. Specifically, they urged the Governor to direct the Commissioner, Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning, and Multilateral Coordination to prioritize child protection in the 2025 budget. Regular quarterly assessments by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development were also recommended to ensure the appropriate utilization of funds. Crucially, stakeholders called for the establishment of State and Local Government Child Protection Committees within 60 days to coordinate interventions effectively.
Further highlighting the need for comprehensive child protection, participants addressed the often overlooked issue of children in remand homes. Chief Magistrate Amina Garuba stressed the importance of protecting the rights of these children and suggested deploying National Youth Service Corps members to remand homes to bridge the manpower gap and provide educational support. This would help ensure that these vulnerable children have access to basic education, a right currently being denied to many.
In addition to educational needs, Magistrate Garuba advocated for vocational skill training for children in remand homes by deploying artisans to provide practical skills. This would equip them with valuable life skills for their future reintegration into society. She expressed concern that the current state of remand homes, where children primarily “eat and sleep,” fails to rehabilitate or adequately prepare them for a productive life. She called for greater synergy between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare to address this critical gap and improve the overall conditions and services provided in remand homes. She emphasized the need for more remand homes and improvements to existing facilities to accommodate the growing number of inmates and provide a more conducive environment for rehabilitation. By implementing these comprehensive recommendations, Bauchi State can create a more robust child protection system that truly upholds the rights and well-being of all children.
