Every child has the right to protection - STOP CHILD ABUSE!!!

Early this year, i was invited to a seminar organized by (WRAHP) WOMEN'S RIGHT AND HEALTH PROJECT, a none governmental organization which is present here in Nigeria partnering with ( OSIWA) OPEN SOCIETY INITIATIVE FOR WEST AFRICA. It is an organization with the core mission of promoting women and community health by equipping, mobilizing and engaging members of the community as an agent of change. Their focus is to be able to access information, to give Economic empowerment, to stand up and speak against gender based violence and the violation of women's right and the rights of childern. They speak on child protection, child right, gender based violence, women's right in the society and basic human rights.

The truth be told, i went there for the money but on getting there, their goals change my mind.
So i will be discussing little on Child protection.

Child protection involves types of food you eat, the cloths and how you prepare before the child comes. Child protection is anything done by individual, a group of persons, an organization or government within the ambit of laid down measure.

To protect a child is not an option, its a foudamental human right. So starting from their conception, the protection is to ensure for their survival, growth, learning and the development of their pontential.

Sometimes culture poses a dangerous problem to child protection. sometimes people value their customs even when it's not right. Eg Child marriage, flogging, shamming. in so many ways things are wrong with child marriage. A child should not be deprived of childhood just because of sexual pleasure of men. Enough is enough

Apart from culture, another threat to child protection is LACK OF COMMUNICATION
When children are not allow for open discussion, when children are not allow to discuss things that matters to them, it causes a big problem. Parents sometimes sees it as a bad thing to discuss sex related issues with their children which sometimes makes them learn it from ousiders and in a wrong way. When their is lack of communication it will make it hard for them to report any abuse or problem they have.

Just last week i read a post by a facebook user Oluwatogin Ndidi Taiwo Ojo about a mother who got home from work and her younger children reported to her that they over heard their elder sister of 11years telling their adult neighbour, a married man that she would slap him. the mother immediately asked the daughter to stoop down as punishment for being disrespectful to an adult and even refused to give her food. As the mother was sleeping in the night, she remembered that in one post on social media she read that one of the signs to watch out in sexual abuse is when an otherwise respectful girl suddenly becomes rude to an adult. Immediately she jumped out of bed and woke her daughter to explain what happened. it was then that the girl explained that the man has been fonding her breasts and her bum and anytime she threatened to her her mum, the man would laugh at her and tell her nobody will believe her most especially her mum who truth him wholeheartedly.
You see, communication works wonders. secondly, child abuse at times comes from people you trust. Its time parents be more attentive to their children, evil people are every causing real havoc to families.

To help end Child abuse....If you see something say something. Not all signs of child abuse are as obvious. Ignoring childrens needs, putting them in unsupervised dangerous situation, exposing them to sexual situations or making them feel worthless are also forms of child abuse. parents make it a duty to always avail yourself to your children, make time for them.
Every child has the right to protection
Help create awareness today.