Examining the legal framework for the protection of children against violence in Nigeria.

Abstract

The United Nation Convention on the Rights of the child was adopted ove three decades ago. Nigeria ratified the convention in 1991 and passed the child rights Act in 2003 in line with the convention. Provisions of the protection of the child are also contained in other statutes. Yet, violence against children increased to 5% between 2016 and 2021, while many children aged 1-14 suffered violence from their caregivers. This paper engages the pervasive issue of violence against the children and the Law in Nigeria. It identifies common forms of violence against children and the effectiveness or otherwise of the relevant extant national legislation and international legal regime. The paper reviews the existing legislation and the challenges of enforcing the law in Nigeria. It concludes that while there are myriads of laws targeted at curbing violence against children at the municipal level, a blend with international legal jurisprudence of the right of child will strenghten the protection of children against violence in Nigeria.