The Child Protection Bill recognizes rights that protect the child's best interest. The Bill is an essential bill that when passed into law, will benefit all children in the State. Some of the key benefits of the bill include Criminalizing sexual abuse against children, The bill states that “no person shall have sexual intercourse with a child”, this means sexually exploiting children in any way is a criminal offense punishable with life imprisonment. The policy provides that universal basic education be COMPULSORY and FREE for all children. The bill will strengthen the free education policy in Kano state The bill has made provisions for a female child who becomes pregnant before completing her education to be given the opportunity after delivery to continue with her education on the basis of her individual ability which means that pregnancy and child marriage will no longer be a reason for adolescent girls to drop out of school. The bill also provides shelter, community homes, and a child justice administration that will oversee the implementation of the bill if passed into law.
No child should be denied the opportunity to grow into an adult that can make informed decisions concerning their health. It's time we remind our leaders why we elected them and why they should protect us. We are petitioning the Bauchi state government to pass the Child Protection Bill in the state.
Child marriage denies girls proven benefits of education, which include improved health and increased economic productivity when married out as children. Amending the Child Protection Bill to include an age limit for marriage will ensure that girls in Jigawa state achieve their full potential.
