The Child Protection Network (CPN), a UNICEF Initiative Group, has reiterated its commitment towards ensuring the protection of the African Child’s rights and welfare.

Mrs Aderonke Oyelakin, Lagos State Coordinator of the CPN, also a child right group, made this known on Saturday at an event organised by the NGO to celebrate the 2022 International Day of African Child in Lagos.

The International Day of the African Child celebration comes up on every June 16 to commemorate the children killed during the Soweto uprising in South Africa.

The 2022 International Day of the African Child celebration has as its theme: ”Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practice since 2013”.

The CPN Lagos is a consortium of Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that focus on the welfare and protection of children across the 20 local government areas in the state.

Oyelakin said that the Day of the African Child was an opportunity to raise awareness on the ongoing need to improve the access to quality and free education to children in Africa.

“We have not overcome the challenges of right to quality education, even in Lagos State.

“Of the 57 million primary school age children currently out of school around the world, over half are from Sub-Saharan Africa.

“Educating children, lifts them out of poverty. Children are active members of society and they need the support of everybody to achieve their potential, “she said.

She noted that the theme for 2022 created an opportunity to take stock of what had been done with regards to the adoption of policies and practices.

According to her, it is also to reflect on what needs to be done to eliminate harmful practices affecting children in Africa and especially Nigeria.

“Nigerian children still experience harmful practices and so also other children in Africa.

“CPN goal is towards the protection and assistance of children who are at risk and victims of harmful practices in Nigeria.

“We use this day to call on all relevant stakeholders who are working in the area of children’s rights on the continent to reinforce their efforts in addressing the obstacles related to harmful practices affecting children.

“The harmful practices include, amongst other forms of abuse, child marriage, forced marriage, breast flattening, hate crimes, child abuse linked to faith or belief and so-called honour-based abuse, discrimination based on sex, gender abuse, among others, “she said.

Earlier, The National Coordinator, CPN Nigeria, Mrs Ngozi Okoro, called for increase in sensitisation efforts to curb harmful practices against children to enable them to grow in a safe environment.

She equally called on government to collaborate with NGOs that focus on child protection so as to jointly build the less privilege children to become great leader of Nigeria in future.

Also speaking, Mrs Ajibola Ijimakinwa, the State Coordinator, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC), said that the NGO, as the CPN sponsor, was keen in safeguarding the rights of children in Nigeria.

She noted that RoLAC, an initiative funded by European Union and implemented by the British Council, had been supporting CPN in the area of training, sensitisation and provision of logistics to achieve its goals.

In her contribution, Mrs Florence Adewale, a legal practitioner and Coordinator, Flourish Initiative, Empowerment and Advocacy, for the less privilege, said children needed to be taught about the proper ways to exercise their rights when they notice a sign of abuse or molestation.

She urged children to be bold, speak up and report any case to their parents, NGOs, Police or a child rights activists to support them in exercising their rights.