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ECOWAS Advocates Stronger Protection of Child Rights

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ECOWAS Advocates Stronger Protection of Child Rights

By: Michael Mike

The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has advocated for stronger protection of child rights in Nigeria and across the West Africa subregion.

This was the advocacy at a stakeholder interaction initiative to drive effort on strengthening delivery on child rights across the entire ECOWAS institution and the sub-region held in Lagos between 10-13 October, 2023.

The Lagos Retreat major thrust aimed at the Development and Validation of an ECOWAS Child Rights Inter-sectoral Strategic Plan and Methodological Guidelines for Mainstreaming Child Rights into ECOWAS Programming.

ECOWAS described the inter-sectoral strategic plan critical for the promotion and protection of Child Rights, including in relation to the rights of the child in a time of conflict, fragility and violence as an important move for different dimensions of Child Rights protection.

These dimensions include situations of emergency, children affected by armed conflict, child safeguarding, generally. Survival and development of the child also involves issues related to nutrition, education, human capital development, etcetera.

Programme Officer, Trafficking in Persons within the Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Olatunde Olayemi, said it doesn’t have to be a non-international conflict such as a civil war but also in situations of fragility for example in a time of elections.

He said: “Elections, sometimes if mis-handled, breed violence which could also affect children. We have disasters such as mudslides, landslides, economic downturns and others issues such as COVID-19, Ebola.

“Also inclusive is the early warning system with regional and national level centers in member states to ensure they anticipate challenges challenges to the rights of children and respond in a timely and effective manner.”

The SDGs comprise 17 Goals and 169 targets to be delivered by 2030 of which 48 targets are directly relevant to children, while 47 are somewhat relevant. Goals One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six are of direct consequence to children, while Goals Eight, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen and Sixteen have targets directly or closely linked to the realisation of child rights’.

It may be recalled that the ECOWAS Commission has reviewed and adopted a new ECOWAS Child Policy and Plan of Action (2019-2030) covering not only child protection but survival, development and participation. This sets a new tone for programming for the entire Commission and will require better coordination between various Departments and Directorates of the Commission.

Despite the foregoing, ECOWAS identified clear weaknesses in the the integrated implementation of Child Rights instruments in the ECOWAS.

These gaps have been glaring within the context of issue and events including: (1) Weak integration of child rights in pandemic preparedness and response i.e. Ebola Virus Disease and COVID 19 pandemic etc.; as borne out in the reports by UNICEF and Save the Children (2.) Weak integration of child rights in Security Sector initiatives i.e. ECOWAS Counter Terrorism Plan of Action etc.; in relation to Children affected by Armed Conflicts, Preventing Violent Extremism and Countering Violent Extremism and well as Deradicalization etc. Also, a clear need to mainstream child protection into Peace and Security frameworks overall.

Drawing from the ECOWAS Human Rights List of Indicators, required from Member States, certain actions must be integrated into ECOWAS Programming on: Measures/legislations for preventing violence against women and girls; Security forces and gender policy versus traditional and native practices; availability of special laws against child trafficking child labour and prostitution.

To this effect, the Olayemi’s Division that leads on the Rights of the Child, under the Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, headed by Dr. Sintikiti Tarfa Ugbe, which is a part of the Department of Human Development and Social Affairs, headed by the Commissioner, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, said the ECOWAS Child Rights Inter-sectoral Strategic Plan follows through with the broad mandate of its dedicated programme area.

ECOWAS Advocates Stronger Protection of Child Rights

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Four children die mysteriously in Borno community, parents hospitalised

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Four children die mysteriously in Borno community, parents hospitalised

By: Zagazola Makama

Tragedy struck in Kukurpu village, Kwajaffa District of Hawul Local Government Area, Borno State, where four children from the same family were confirmed dead after being found unconscious alongside their parents.

Zagazola Makama reports that the incident occurred on Thursday morning when neighbours raised alarm after several unanswered phone calls to the family’s head, 35-year-old Muktari Idrisa.

According to sources, a neighbour, Bukar Musa, eventually reached Idrisa’s wife, Maimuna, who revealed that everyone in the house was seriously ill and unable to stand.

The neighbours rushed to the residence and discovered Idrisa, his wife, and their four children lying unconscious.

The children were identified as: Idrisa Muktari, male, Hauwa Muktari, female, 9 years, Binta Muktari, female, 6 years and Saidu Muktari, male, 1 year.

Security forces and medical experts rushed to the scene. Doctors certified all four children dead on arrival, while the parents were admitted and are responding to treatment.

The corpses were deposited at the hospital mortuary before being released to relatives for burial according to Islamic rites.

Authorities say the cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained, though police say the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Maiduguri has commenced a full investigation.

The tragic development has thrown the quiet farming community of Kukurpu into mourning.

Four children die mysteriously in Borno community, parents hospitalised

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Operation FANSAN YANMA donates fertiliser to farmers in zamfara to boost food security

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Operation FANSAN YANMA donates fertiliser to farmers in zamfara to boost food security

By: Zagazola Makama

Operation FANSAN YANMA has donated 200 bags of fertiliser to farmers in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State to support agriculture and strengthen civil-military relations.

Zagazola Makama report that the donation was made on Sept. 2 by the Theatre Commander of OPFY, Maj Gen OO Soyele, represented by Brig Gen N. Mbaka.

The items were handed over to the Emir of Tsafe, HRH Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad Bawa, under the Defence Headquarters’ civil-military cooperation initiative.

Soyele reiterated OPFY’s commitment to combining non-kinetic interventions with kinetic operations to secure farming communities.

The Emir described the gesture as timely and assured full cooperation from his subjects in the fight against terrorists.

Community leaders and farmers present at the event lauded the military’s proactive approach to resilience and food security.

Operation FANSAN YANMA donates fertiliser to farmers in zamfara to boost food security

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Troops foil terrorist attacks, recover livestock in Zamfara

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Troops foil terrorist attacks, recover livestock in Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have repelled multiple terrorist attacks across Zamfara State, neutralising a gunman, rescuing kidnap victims and recovering dozens of rustled livestock.

Zagazola Makama report that the operations were carried out in Anka, Shinkafi, and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas in the past 48 hours.

Sources said troops deployed at Shinkafi engaged terrorists who had abducted locals near Shanawa village. The operation led to the killing of one terrorist and the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, three mobile phones, cash and other items.

In another incident, troops at Danmarke ambushed terrorists moving with rustled livestock from Kyairu village towards Bagega in Anka LGA. The troops forced the criminals to abandon 37 cows and a camel.

The recovered animals were handed over to the Bukkuyum Local Government Chairman, Mr. Aminu A. Gummi, in the presence of ward councillors and police representatives.

“These operations are restoring confidence among farming communities that have suffered repeated terrorist incursions,” the source said.

Residents commended the military for their swift response, saying the action prevented what could have been another mass displacement.

Troops foil terrorist attacks, recover livestock in Zamfara

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