Statistics On Violence Against Children Is Alarming

The Federal Government, today, described as alarming, the statistics on violence against children in the country It decried that recent studies established that approximately six out of 10 children experience one or more forms of physical, sexual, or emotional violence before the age of 18. More worrisome is the fact that of the children who reported violence, fewer than 5 out of a 100 receive significant forms of support. Unfortunately, also, it has been reported that Nigeria has one of the highest number of child brides in Africa, most of them from poor and rural communities,” the Solicitor General of the Federation, SGF, and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, stated.

She spoke at the opening session of a two-day stakeholders forum on ending violence against children in Nigeria, which held in Abuja today. The SGF maintained that a major area that required to be reformed urgently, is the juvenile justice system which she said included government agencies and institutions that function to investigate, supervise, adjudicate, care for, or confine delinquent juveniles or children in contact with the law. She said these reports and data underscore the need for concerted efforts among stakeholders to intensify their commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us and create a world where all children can thrive and be supported to reach their full potential. Ending violence against children requires a multifaceted approach with concerted and intentional efforts of all stakeholders, institutions and development partners, particularly those invested in developing and implementing government policies, to embark on initiatives and institutionalize mechanisms to address the scourge.