A CRITIQUE OF THE CHILD RIGHTS LAW Cap C155 Volume 1, LAWS OF OGUN STATE 2006

ABSTRACT

The Child Rights Law of Ogun State 2006 is the present law governing issues relating to children and young persons below the age of eighteen (18) years in Ogun State and protecting of the rights of children and other related matters The Law replaced the Child Rights Law of Ogun State 2003 which was signed into law by the former Governor of the State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel on 3rd March 2004 The Child Rights Law of Ogun State 2006 is divided into nine (9) parts and has ninety three (93) Sections Part 1 of the Child Rights Law of Ogun State 2006 hereinafter referred to as CRL Ogun State has two (2) Sections and the sections deal with the preliminary aspect of the law. The sections provide for the “Best interest of the Child” as being paramount in consideration in all actions and matters. In addition, it provides that all children below the age of eighteen years are protected by this law. It is also in this part of the law that it is stated that the child is to be given protection and care necessary for “his” well-being and that it is mandatory that all person, institution, service, agency, organization and body responsible for the care or protection of children “shall” conform with the standards established by the appropriate authorities, particularly in the areas of safety, health, welfare, number and suitability of their staff and competent supervision. Part 11 of the CRL Ogun State has eighteen (18) sections in sections 3-20 enumerating the rights and responsibilities of the child. The rights in sections 3- 18 include all rights in Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, namely right to survival, to name, freedom of peaceful association, conscience and religion, right to privacy and family, freedom of movement, discrimination, right to dignity of the child, to leisure recreation and cultural activities, to health, parental care, protection and maintenance, to free and universal primary education.