AN EXAMINATION OF NIGERIA’S COMPLIANCE WITH ITS LEGISLATIVE OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Abstract

Globally, children are held with esteem value.  Based on this therefore, the United Nations in 1989 adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which Nigeria ratified, and in 2003 this treaty became domesticated known as and called Nigerian Childs Rights Act and same was adopted by some states. However, in spite of the above domestication and adoptions, the treaty generated heated arguments for and against it especially in Nigeria considering its heterogeneity in culture, tribe and religion. There is however, problem as to whether or not children in Nigeria enjoy the rights under the Convention. It is against this background that this study critically examined and appraised Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention which was viewed from the legislative angle. In so doing the study adopted both doctrinal and empirical research methodology and at the end of the study, it identified that the enabling legislations are in substantial compliance with the Convention. It however posited that there is lack of implementation particularly with regards to the requirement of establishing institutions that are required for enjoyment of such rights as well as the required facilities and provisions for training of staff running the activities of the institutions. At the end of the study, the research recommended among other things massive sensitization of the general public to be aware of such rights and by extension encourage government to establish the required institutions using the available limited resources.