… 40% of Nigerian women marry before 15 years

At least 12 Northern states in Nigeria, including Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa and Kaduna are yet to pass the Child Rights Law despite the obvious benefits it portends for children, the Child Protection Specialist, United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Sharon Oladiji has said.

Also, the National Populations Commission (NPC) data show that at least 40 per cent of Nigerian women marry before they reach their 15th birthday, while 44 per cent marry before their 18th birthday.

Speaking during a two-day media dialogue on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at 30, organised by UNICEF in Lagos, Oladiji said many of such states due to religion and culture believe some sections of the child rights law need to be amended as it negates their belief or cultural practice.

Other states yet to pass the Child Rights Law are Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, Zamfara, Gombe, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa.
She said governments at all level should put laws in place to protect the rights of Nigerian children, adding that if this is done, it would encourage implementation and children will consequently grow into better adults in future.

She said: “While we try to bring the rights of children to the knowledge of the public, we also encourage these children on the need to know their rights. Adults, teachers and parents need to know why they must adhere to CRL.”

“Children are individual human beings totally dependent on adults. So, as adults, we must be responsible for how they are treated. Healthy development of a child is crucial to the future and well being of any nation.

“Children are special, we cannot treat them anyhow. Views of children are rarely heard, but we should continue to make efforts to change this,” she stressed.

On his part, another Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF, Dennis Onoise said it was not only because of culture that many stakeholders refuse to push for the implementation of the Child Rights Law in various states, but that personal interest also plays its part.

“Some stakeholders might refuse to push for this because they know if implementation starts, it may affect them as well,” he noted.

He said it was alarming that about 40 per cent of Nigerian women marry before their 15th birthday, while about 44 per cent marry before their 18th birthday.

“Also, about 28 per cent of women in Nigeria report physical violence before they reach 15 years,” Onoise, who quoted the National Population Commissions report added.

_______________________________________________________________________ LAWBREED NEW WIG SPECIAL OFFER — Give a newly called lawyer a lasting professional gift.

Get up to 20% off selected LAWBREED Supreme Court Reports, plus access to My S.C Extra, featuring Supreme Court judgments from 1972 to date. Call/WhatsApp: 08077011741 | 08077011755 | 08077011730 | 08023269613 Email: orders@lawbreed.com | mails@lawbreed.com LAWBREED — Equipping You For Greater Success! ______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation _______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook As an added bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE ebook titled: “How to use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion.” Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACiarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. _______________________________________________________________________

“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof

Two leading books on electronic evidence by Hon. Justice Professor Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, Rtd., PhD, FICMC, are now available for purchase. The publications, Electronic Evidence (Second Edition), With The Evidence Act, 2011 and Compendium Of Cases On Electronic Evidence, Volume II, 2020–2025, provide practical guidance, legal analysis and recent judicial authorities on electronic evidence in Nigeria.Order directly from the author here: https://velvety-cendol-7387ed.netlify.app/ _______________________________________________________________________