The lawmaker representing Obokun State Constituency in the State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has said that this year’s Children Day Celebration should serve as wakeup call to all stakeholders to review and scale up activities that will restore the dignity of the Nigerian child.
The lawmaker, who also highlighted the need for activation of support system for the protection of the vulnerable children across the country, congratulated Nigerian children on the commemoration of this year’s Children Day.
He acknowledged that the day is not only special, but one that should be used to celebrate children across the nation and reflect on their state generally.
Oyintiloye further took advantage of the auspicious day to reiterate the need for domestication of Child Act Law that will further protect the rights of vulnerable children, especially in their exclusive right to education as enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Articles 13 and 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Right, UNESCO’s convention against discrimination in education and most importantly, convention on the right of the child adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1989 and ratified by 192 countries including Nigeria.
The lawmaker further demanded stiffer penalties against predators especially those who indulge in abuse of children in all forms.
He said the statistics of UNICEF which indicated 10.5million Nigerian children are out of school was not only upsetting but one that called for urgent action by parents, governments as well as non- governmental organisations.
The parliamentarian, while restating his commitment to the cause of the protection of the right of the child charged government at all levels and well meaning Nigerians to do more in taking care of the needs of the vulnerable children across the country.