The Federal Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), yesterday, unveiled two strategic instruments to address long-standing disparities in legal protection and representation for children.
The instruments – Prosecution Guidelines for Handling Cases Involving Children (2024) and the Legal Aid Guidelines for Children in Conflict/Contact with the Law and Child Victims (2024) – seek to expand access to justice by promoting child-sensitive practices, including the use of non-custodial measures such as diversion, restorative justice, and community-based interventions.
They also aim to ensure timely, quality legal representation for children, while holding perpetrators of crimes against children accountable through effective sanctions.
Together, these national frameworks represent a significant move towards institutionalising a rights-based, compassionate, and rehabilitative justice system for children across the federation.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony in Abuja, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), described the guidelines as a bold step towards safeguarding the rights and dignity of children, who encounter the justice system, either as offenders, victims, or witnesses.
“These guidelines are a foundation for justice that treats every Nigerian child with fairness, compassion, and dignity,” he said.
Fagbemi noted that the move aligns with the country’s obligations under international conventions, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In his remarks, UNICEF’s Chief of Child Protection in Nigeria, Ibrahim Sesay, highlighted the urgency of the reform.
He cited recent findings showing that 78 per cent of children in conflict with the law lack legal representation, and fewer than five per cent of child survivors of sexual violence have access to any form of justice service.
Also, in a goodwill message delivered by representatives of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), both of which pledged to integrate the new frameworks into their mandates.
Other stakeholders, who spoke, agreed that the unveiling marks a turning point in the nation’s journey towards a more inclusive, child-centred justice system, particularly the one that moves from rhetoric to meaningful reform.
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MEANWHILE, UNICEF has announced Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef as the new Country Representative.
In a statement yesterday by its communication specialist, Susan Akila, the agency said the new country representative has over 20 years of dedicated service in international humanitarian and development work.
“Wafaa brings a wealth of experience and leadership to Nigeria’s efforts to improve the lives of children and communities across the country.
“Prior to this appointment, Wafaa served as the UNICEF Representative in Somalia, where she achieved significant successes in advancing children’s rights and well-being within a complex and challenging environment,” she noted.
Akila added that the new country representative served in several other senior roles with the United Nations, notably the OCHA, UNICEF, and WFP, in diverse settings such as Sudan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Syria, and Ethiopia. “She has also held leadership positions at the global level with OCHA in New York and Geneva.
“She holds a Master of Architecture from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, a Master of Science in Physical Planning from the University of Khartoum, and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture,” the statement stated.