FIRST LADY ADVOCATES CHILD RIGHTS PROTECTION

        First lady of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria, Turai Yar’adua has expressed dismay over the child mortality as a major problem facing Africa and as called for effective intervention to prevent and treat major causes of morbidity and mortality in new born infant and under five children.

        Speaking at the 19^th edition of 2009 Day Of African Child, held in Abuja, Turai said that, the overall goal of ensuring child survival and health growth and development of Nigerian children requires urgent steps to address Factors influencing child health and other developmental issues in Nigeria. She further stressed that the full coverage of these universal access to essential interventions would be necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other child-related policies and programmes. 

        Also, she said the high incidence of infant mortality in Nigeria and the continent in general requires a collaborative effort of both government and other stakeholders to ensure that the problem is reduced to the barest minimum. She stated that the major causes of child mortality includes preventable diseases like malaria, malnutrition, poor breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices which account for the major risk factors.

        According to her, pupils also face the challenges of survival as several infections which retard their growth and optimal development causes significant health burden and affect school attendance and performance. She also observed that the HIV/AIDS scourge has implications on child survival as thousands of children are infected, orphaned or vulnerable thus leading to poverty, exploitation and exclusions. Turai noted that the Day of African Child was set aside by the African Union to remember the tragic events which took place in Soweto and South Africa, where dozens of children were massacred while demanding for their rights to education in the course of anti-apartheid demonstration in 1976.

        She implored that the children were the leaders and future of tomorrow hence they should be given the right and freedom to live and other basic amenities of life. Meanwhile, some groups and non-governmental organizations have called for proactive steps to protect African Children.