LASG RESTATES COMMITMENT TO CHILD RIGHTS
… Commemorates United Nations Human Rights Day
In commemoration of the United Nations Human Rights Day, the Lagos State Government has assured the populace of its commitment to protecting the rights of residents, particularly children in the State.
The Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, gave the assurance at the commemoration of the Human Rights Day organised by the Directorate of Citizens’ Rights (CDR) for Private/Public Primary and Secondary Schools in the State at Alausa, Ikeja, recently.
Ms. Shitta-Bey disclosed that various initiatives and programmes are targeted at protecting the rights of children, especially the Child Rights Law enacted to ensure that children enjoy special care, assistance and social protection.
Her words: “In protecting the rights of children, Lagos State enacted the Child Rights Law, which ensures that their rights are well protected. The Law allows them to enjoy special care and assistance, as well as social protection to enhance their social and economic welfare”.
According to the Permanent Secretary, the programme is organised annually by the Directorate on the 10th of December to celebrate the promotion of Human Rights in society and the world at large, to increase the protection of children rights, as well as ensure that adults take responsibility for children’s protection and development.
Speaking on the theme of the event, tagged: “The Year of Socio-Economic Renewal and Nation Building”, Shitta-Bey explained that the theme was carefully selected to recognise the importance of protecting the rights of children in attaining sustainable development, saying that “when human rights are protected, it improves the nation’s human capital and increases national, economic and social growth”.
Similarly, the Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Olayinka Adeyinka, stressed that Lagos State has continued to protect Human Rights through the Directorate of Citizens Rights, Office of the Public Defender and Citizens Meditation Centre, adding that these agencies were created to promote human rights observance and enforcement in the State.
She said: “There is no doubt that failure to recognise human rights in any nation is a catalyst for societal destruction as we have seen in the history of the world and indeed at the municipal level”.
“This is the reason the Lagos State Government does everything at its disposal towards ensuring that human rights of every individual are respected and protected”, she added.
The Director of Citizens’ Rights, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Odunsanya, appreciated the students and other personalities at the event for supporting the government on the journey to completely protect human rights in the State, imploring them to continue to be good citizens and ambassadors of human rights in their individual capacity.
She advised them to spread the message against discrimination, child abuse and infringement of human and child rights.
The highlights of the event included a drama presentation by the Reagan Memorial Baptist Private School, titled “Say No to Bullying, Speak Out”, which was dedicated to the late JSS2 student of Dowen College, Master Sylvester Oromoni.
TAB/TMS/OS
Pix 1: (L-R) Mrs. Aderinsola Olarenwaju, Director Legislative Drafting; Mrs. Oluwatoyin Odusanya, Director, Citizens’ Rights; Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, Solicitor General & Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Lagos State; Mrs. Olayinka Adeyemi, Director, Public Prosecution and Mrs. Oni, representative of Chairman SUBEB at the United Nation Human Rights Day 2021.
Pix 2: (L-R) Director, Citizens’ Rights, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Odusanya; Deputy Director, Citizens’ Rights, Mrs. Ganiyat Quadri, with students of Oregun Junior High School at the United Nations Human Rights Day 2021.
