The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has urged the Kano State Government to hasten domestication of the Child Rights Act to enhance protection and safety of children.
FIDA also called for the domestication of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) in the state.
Ms Bilkisu Suleiman, Chairperson of FIDA in the state, made the call when members of the association paid a courtesy visit to the Kano State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), on Thursday in Kano.
Suleiman said the domestication of the acts, after infusion with the state Sharia Law, would assist to reduce cases of rape against minors and other social vices.
She decried the spate of social vices in the northern region and Kano in particular, adding that the menace could only be checked if there were cogent laws to deter perpetrators and provide appropriate punishment against them.
“FIDA is doing all it could to ensure problems in family settings and the issue of child abuse that has to do with rape, is actively look into and those who are abusing them are brought to book.
“Right now, we are trying our best on awareness creation for the people to accept it and understand our mission, which is actually to correct the wrongs in the families.
“We are highly disturbed by the menace of Almajiri (pupils of non formal Qur’anic schools), and child abuse which sometimes goes punished.
“That is why we are doing all we can to ensure that the acts are domesticated and infused accordingly,” she said.
Responding, Mr Abbas Ibrahim, Chairman of the Council, pledged the support of the media practitioners towards actualising the domestication of the acts in the state.