The United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has said that it is working with the Kano State House of Assembly and is confident of passing the Child Protection Bill into law before the end of 2021.
Emilia Alang, UNICEF’s Child Protection Manager, gave the assurance in Kano on Tuesday at a workshop organised in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Justice for law enforcement agencies on ways of handling children cases.
The bill, which according to her is the domesticated version of the Child Rights Law, is drafted to tally with the religion and culture of the people of the state.
“There is need for building their capacity because the way you handle children cases, either as victims, witnesses or offenders, is different from the way you handle adults.
“In Kano here, we also appreciate the role Hisbah and Shari’a courts play in their respective communities,” she said.
The Director, Citizen’s Right, Kano State Ministry of Justice, Sanusi Salisu Aliyu, said the workshop would build the capacity of law enforcement agencies in respect of how they could treat cases of children.
“Issues of access to justice for children; child as victim, as a witness or offender, how can they handle the matter, also important is the issue of confidentiality,” Aliyu added.
