The Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) Nigeria has called on the Nigerian government to create an enabling environment that will ensure proper nurturing and upbringing of Nigerian children.
NACTAL also called on parents, guardians and caregivers to support the government by developing mechanism that tackles anti-social behaviour among Nigerian students.
The call was made in a statement by NACTAL National President in Nigeria, Abdulganiyu Abubakar on the commemoration of the 2023 Children’s Day on Saturday.
In the theme for this year’s children’s day celebration, tagged, “State of the Nigeria Children Today: Proper Parenting for value re-orientation and national consciousness” by the Federal Ministry of Wome Affairs, the Network urged everyone to reflect on our national values in nurturing Nigerian students.
It said the theme “No doubt underscores the significant role of parents, caregivers, guardians and children minders who are involved in the life of children – in nurturing a total child devoid of negative behaviour which could lead to indulging in anti social behaviours with grave consequencies for children and the society.”
It further stated, “The increasing anti-social behaviour such as truancy, drug addiction, stealing and other criminal activites among many children in Nigeria calls for concern and a response of national action. There is a need to prevent more children from going into crime as this constitutes a serious threat to the future of these children and to the peace and development of Nigeria.
“It is important that as a country, we reflect on what our national values are and how we have been able to build strategic policies, program and interventions that will assist families and other caregivers to provide proper or positive parenting for children both in formal and informal institutional care to grow and develop into responsible citizens. Children’s behaviours and Attitudes are largely a reflection of what goes in their environment.
“A parentig that would endanger value reorientation and national consciousness in the Nigerian Child must be properly placed within the four pillars of child rights which emphasizes the Survival Rigts of Children, the right for development, the right for protection and the right for participation as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) and the Child Rights Act, Nigeria (2003).
“A value reoreirntation and national consciousness can’t not be achived in a vacuum, it must be based on the ideal of justice, equity, inclusiveness and non-discrimination of the Nigerian Child in the National Agenda.
“An view of this, and in the light of the children’s day celebration, the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) Nigeria, is calling on the Nigerian Government to set in motion a responsive national mechanism that promote, respect, protect and guarantee the realization of the rights of the Nigerian Child irrespective of tribe, ethnicity and social status.
“Parents and caregivers should also support the efforts of the government to imbibe in their children a culture of mutual respect, tolerance and positive affection towards fellow Nigerian Children.
“While NACTAL is wishing the Nigerian Child a fabulous Children’s Day Celebration, the children are admonished to shun antisocial behaviour capable of distrupting their futre and the peace of the society at lager.”
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