The Child Rights Implementation Committee in Delta State, has advocated the prosecution of parents who cover-up cases of abuse of children or wards under their care.
The Chairman of the Committee, who doubles as Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas, made the call in Asaba, the State capital during a summit to review the execution of the Delta State Child Rights Law.
Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas, identified challenges of temporary shelter for women and children who suffered abuse, pressure by families of perpetrators and unwilling witnesses, as some of the challenges affecting the implementation of the Child Rights law in the state.
She pointed out that when some of these issues are reported, you have the zeal to want to fight, but the response of the victims or their parents will dampen your spirit. “I know there is provision in the law, if you prevent justice, you can be arrested.”
Mrs. Agas, also listed poverty as a factor in some of the cases, stressing that the government had earmarked some of the victims to be empowered through the ministry of Women Affairs. A legal representative from the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Awele Ideal, called for a law to enable the prosecution of parents who made suspicious withdrawal of charges, during key stages in the investigation of cases of child abuse or sexual assault.
According to her “I think it is high time we put in place a law to punish adults who enable or cover up these crimes”
The Guest speaker, Theresa Atakpo, who lectured on a topic titled: The Best Interest of a Child in Child Protection, listed child’s voice and participation, emotional and psychological support to help children who experienced abuse to cope with trauma and stress. Members of the Committee also called for the establishment of bolster centers for children with challenging behavior that require behavioral therapy, noting that there were only two bolster institutions in the whole of South East and South South.
