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CODE seeks speedy passage of Child Rights Protection Bill

THE Connected Development (CODE) has applauded the Kano State Government for approving the Child Rights Protection Bill, but it appealed for a speedy passage by the Kano State House of Assembly.

The bill is targeted at protecting children, girls especially, from early marriages and domestic violence and is also expected to punish violators of children’s rights.

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, state governor, had approved the bill during the state weekly council meeting on Saturday.

Malam Muhammad Garba, state commissioner for information, who disclosed this at the end of the meeting, said Kano government, due to its commitment to child welfare, after assenting to the bill on Free and Compulsory Education, developed a keen interest in seeing the passing of the Child Rights Bill.



He said that the approved bill, which sought to protect the rights of the child, would now be transmitted to the state’s House of Assembly for passage and subsequent assent by the governor.

“The approved bill when passed seeks to protect the rights of the child and would be transmitted to the State House of Assembly for passage and subsequent assent by the governor,” he said.




     

     

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    Hamzat Lawal, CODE’s chief executive, while commending the governor for the approval, urged for the speedy assent of the Child Right Bill and the adoption of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP Act), adding that by doing this, Kano  would be helping to reduce the number of children and women whose human rights were violated.

    “There must be no delay in protecting children and women from early marriages and violence. Girls and women should have a right to education, freedom from violence, reproductive rights, access to reproductive and sexual health care, employment, freedom of movement, and the right to consensual marriage. These rights must not be taken from them,” Lawal added.

    CODE is partnering the trained 30 gender advocates in Kano State such as Bridge Connect Initiative, Save the Women and Children Initiative, Isa Wali Initiative, Rescue the Women Foundation, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to intensify advocacy, engage key government officials and call for the domestication of the VAPP and Child Rights Acts. It will also be engaging the Kano State Assembly, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, and the Police Command in Kano to ensure enforcement once this becomes law.

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    CODE had recently raised the alarm over the increasing rate of child marriages and gender-based violence in the state. The non-profit organisation in collaboration with the Canadian High Commission had trained 30 gender-rights advocates in the state on gender policy and legal framework; gender-based advocacy; community mobilisation using digital advocacy tools to amplify voices of survivors and demand the wrath of the law on predators and perpetrators.

    You can reach out to me on Twitter via: vincent_ufuoma

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