IN 1954, the United Nation’s (UN) General Assembly recommended that all countries should set aside a Universal Children’s Day (UCD) to be observed as a day to celebrate children and draw attention to their problems. In spite of this, it is disappointing to state that since then the challenges facing our children especially in Africa and other third world countries are frightening and call for quick solution.

Happily, the UN General Assembly recognised that children all over the world have rights that must be documented, adopted by major states, promoted, projected as well as enforced. It subsequently adopted in 1959, the Declaration of the Rights of the child, which addressed the rights of children and youths under 18 years of age. In 1989, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child which covers in its 54 articles, all the rights of children, from healthcare to education, to the freedom from exploitation and the right to hold opinion.

There is a popular saying that, “Morning shows the day, just as the child shows the man.” This indicates why a day is set aside every year to evaluate progress made in efforts to promote, protect and project the rights of children. All over the world, children’s day is usually celebrated on the 27th of every May.

Celebrating children’s day takes special forms in each member country of the United Nations. For example in Gambia, children take over the reigns of government for this one day in the year, to expose them in the practice of governance. In other countries, children are sometimes given the opportunity to take over the television stations and consequently direct, produce and anchor programmes that show the major issues that affect them.

In the case of Nigeria, schools children usually troop to various stadia, public places in towns and cities all over the country to engage in march past and listen to speeches from our leaders, while some establishments participate sometimes by organising parties, excursions as well as study visits for students.

However, despite the fact that most member states of the UN are signatories to the convention, the basic rights stated in this convention are still being violated with impunity in these countries that have adopted the convention. Children over the places are still being openly abused and neglected both at the family, community and governmental levels. However, Nigeria adopted May 27 of every year as its Children’s Day and has remained faithful and honest to the observance of the day. Furthermore, it is crystal and abundantly clear that children’s issue go far and above celebration of Children’s Day.

Apart from the celebration, there is the need to look at how children have fared before and after the passage of the Child Right Bill that was passed into law by the National Assembly in May 2003. Nigeria, being a signatory to several international conventions on children, is obliged to take legislative, social and educative measures to further protect children from the following, physical or mental violence, neglect or maltreatment while in the care of parents or guardians, employment that is likely to be hazardous to their health or to interfere with their education and development, sexual exploitation and abuse, among others.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 215 million children are in hazardous work and Africa is worst hit. The ILO celebrated the World-Day against Child Labour 2010 events with a clear message to member-nation on the negative impact of child labour and the danger inherent in the slow pace of efforts by nations of the world to end the phenomenon. It was revealed by the ILO that the events were held in more than sixty (60) countries. It included governments, employers and workers, other United Nations Organizations and non-governmental organizations and high level panels, who organized media events, awareness-raising campaigns, cultural performances and other public events.

In Nigeria, little efforts are being made by both government and organisations to reduce or eliminate the worst form of child abuse because we are deeply rooted in poverty, ignorance and cultural attitudes of the people. However, these efforts, in most cases are not backed by appropriate data to enable national authorities and the international communities to measure the nature and perhaps the extent of child labour in the country and identify areas where action is required to take it.

Many first time visitors to Nigeria are usually appalled at the number of children engaged in street hawking and begging on our roads, and the advent of sachet water popularly called “pure water” has increased the number greatly.

In order to proffer solutions to the above, there is the need for an apostle of accountability and probity in public service. In other words, we should preach and practice the gospel for the benefit of our children. In this connection, we should see our children as Ethiopia tikdem, an Amharic expression meaning “Ethiopia First”.

Soeze, a Mass Communication scholar, sent this article from the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State.

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