RIGHTS OF CHILDREN UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: THE CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

Nations around the world have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and passed various legislations to safeguard the most vulnerable members of the society including children, but the effects of these laws have not been felt especially in most third world nations where cases of indiscriminate death of children, child abuse, child trafficking, child prostitution and all forms of violence against children are on the rise. In Nigeria there exists the Child Rights Act of 2003, the Children and Young Person’s Act of 1943 which legislations was meant to provide against child labour, sexual exploitation of children, violence against children, child trafficking etc. In Ghana another Western African nation there exists the Children’s Act of 1998 which is meant to advance the legal rights of children and maintenance of children, prevent child labour and child abuse etc. Findings reveal that despite the existence of these laws these societal ills have maintained a steady climb. There is also a lacklustre enforcement of the laws relating to the welfare of children in these jurisdictions. This article set out to research on the factors responsible for the lacklustre implementation of children protection laws, and the means of strengthening and enforcing the right of children to life and preventing violence against children in all forms.