₦airaland Forum

At this trying time. hmm your source though....

Setting her own house ablaze is uncalled for. Let her spend some months behind bar.

Report any case of trafficking and abuse to [url]wotclef.org.ng[/url]

Human trafficking a.k.a. Trafficking In Persons (TIP) is modern day form of slavery. The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Supress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children which supplements the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crimes defines TIP as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the use of power or a position or vulnerability, or of the given or receiving of payment or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation.

Child Trafficking occurs when a person under the age of 18 years is moved from his or her home to another place within the country or outside the country by someone into situations of exploitation and abuse. Such abuse could be domestic servitude (househelp), childlabour, sexual abuse, hawking, prostitution, begging or leading blind beggars etc.

Child trafficking is a major problem in Nigeria and the rights of innocent children continue to be grossly violated. One of the factors that have contributed to the rising of this problem is ignorance of the care givers namely parents, guardians and other family members.

Many families from rural areas are not adequately sensitised and enlightened on the problems and adverse effects of this criminal practice. Due to poor economic status of the parents, they fall prey to the tricks of traffickers who are highly organized in the practice.

The children themselves are largely unaware of their rights and responsibilities and cannot react or speak out when those rights are violated. They are constrained by lack of information ontheir fundamental rights. Some reasons why children are more vulnerable to TIP are- poverty, domestic violence, dysfunctional homes, gender discrimination, tribal/religious conflicts.

In Nigeria, records have shown that the Eastern States – Imo, Abia, Enugu and Anambra States are sources for child trafficking especially for domestic servitude.Some rich individual’sparticularly young couples in major cities such as Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt when in need of domestic assistance do connect with traffickers whose business is to bring children from villages and distribute like commodities to the cities. These traffickers meet with the poor parents to give out their children, some offer money and promise better life for the children. Some of these children have been taken across the countries with the hope of greener pastures. Unfortunately, their hope has been futile.

Some cultural traditions and values like traditional fostering system whereby a child could be raised by richer family relatives,promotes child trafficking. Originally, this practice was helpful because the child was properly taken care of by the guardian just like his or her own biological child. However, this practice has been grossly abused today by some privileged people who take advantage of the vulnerability of their poor relatives and exploit their children. The children especially girls, when brought to the cities are used as ‘house helps’. Little or no attention is given to their education as they are overwhelmed with domestic chores. Some are exposed to rape and other sexual abuse. Some of the male ones are found hawking or engaged in other works that endanger their life.This is Child Labour, one of the end products of child trafficking.

Child Labour is any work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity. Any work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children is Child Labour. Children who are trafficked face the risk of labour, physical injury, psychological or emotional pains, kidnapping and rituals.

Child Trafficking has a devastating impact on children. Such impacts include: isolation from family, community and familiar surroundings, denial of education, loss of childhood pleasures, exposure to sexual abuse and rape, unwanted pregnancy, early motherhood, physical injury, hard labour, and risk of death.

Parents, guardians and community members should be aware of traffickers or some relatives who scout around for young girls and boys to take away to the cities. They may appear like angels but could be devils in disguise. Parents should,irrespective of their economic status,consider the dangers which children are bound to face when they are trafficked or when they are given to some relatives to live outside their homes. No amount of money can be equal to the value of a child. The saying ‘no place like a home’ is relevant to in the up-bringing of children. Children are better off when they live, grow and develop with their parents. Let’s say no to child trafficking and child labour by promoting the rights of children to live with their parents and be properly taken care of. Child trafficking and child labour are scourges to humanity. These must STOP!

By IwuagwuOdinaka
Officer for Youth and Children
Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF)
http://wotclef.org.ng

In a world where some will go to any length, pay any price, conduct any ritual whether scientific or traditional, just to have a child who they can call “the blood of my blood” yet some blessed with this unmerited favour from God who perhaps uses this to avow he is no respecter of person, will subject this blessings to untold hardship, neglect and severe torture.

John as simply called is an innocent lad whose only crime perhaps is being born. He found himself landing on the rocky side of life; his mother still a subject of contention, his father not even in the picture, raised by a girl who without shame or remorse engages in the age long immoral business of prostitution.
She locks John outside while attending to her ‘customer’ and locks him inside alone come night fall as she sets out for each day’s hustle without care or thought for the risk and danger such isolation can pose to a two year old who has to battle with the dark, wrestle with the cold and surmount the silence of the night each day without any ally.

After having to grow up radically at the detriment of his innocence, John barely eats as detailed on his kwashiorkor body displaying his ribs as though it were an art gallery display. AGood Samaritan neighbor gives account of how he tries to feed John by passing a straw through a hole for the poor kid to grasp a sip of drink on several occasions. This according to eyewitness was the offence committed by the poor lad which the guardian proclaimed required deterrence.

Upon the malnutrition which has led to pile, the guardian, Miss Janet Moses,subjected him to cruelty by beating him mercilessly leaving signatures of scars on his fleshless skin.
Bruises and scars tattoo the lad’s thin protruded neck. The guardian’sbloody signatureleft twenty eight scars as she continually accused the starved boy of begging for food “long throat,” also swiping the face leaving 12 injuries, broken nose and bloody mouth.

Very few children can survive such horror of which words fall short to describe, but John determined to rise above death as exhibited by the sparkle in his eyes, as he manages to mutter a smile.
The monstrous hearted guardian who for my money is capable of cold blood murder was confronted by a girl who will not suffer her name to be mentioned, only for the sadist guardian to boldly affirm the act and threatened to do more if the intruder inquires further.

Silently, John’s heroine perhaps tormented by the gory state of the innocent child decided to act shunning the average Nigerian “I don’t care” attitude and reported the case to the Mabuchi Police Division Abuja. The Police immediately swung into action, rescued the boy and arrested the perpetrator of the offence who has since been charged to court.

John was referred to the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF) by the Police owing to the existing collaboration between the Police and the Foundation, who immediately contacted a partner organization Victorine Homes to take custody of the lad.
On Monday 28th April, 2014, Miss Janet Moses was sentenced to two months in prison with an option of fine, for the count charge of cruelty to child, of which she was found guilty. The court further directed her to produce John’s parents under a specified period.

There are thousands of kids going through similar or worst conditions on daily basis, like in the case of John, just a little concern and action from you can shape the entire existence of a victim and replace each scar be it physical, emotional or psychological with love.
Do not be indifferent, do not sit on the fence, join the cause and lend a voice to the voiceless; for we can only find changes in the world by leading the change in the streets of the world.


http://wotclef..com.ng/2015/10/what-in-your-opinion-can-be-crime-of.html#more

#‎dayofthegirl‬ ‪#‎WOTCLEF‬

Winner of the our QUIZ Competition for the Primary school is
L.E.A Primary School Abuja with a total points of 41%

‪
Winner of the QUIZ Competition for the Secondary school is
Junior Secondary School Gwarinpa Estate with a total points of 52% ‪


Winner of the Debate Competition for theSecondary school is
Model Junior Secondary School Kubwa with a total points of 78% ‪


Winner of the Debate Competition for the primary school is
Model Primary School Kubwa with a total points of 70% ‪

Winner of the Essay Writing Competition for the primary school is
Model Primary School with a total points of 89%


Winner of the Essay Writing Competition
Junior Secondary School Gwarinpa Estate with a total points of 60%

‪#‎dayofthegirl‬ ‪#‎WOTCLEF‬

October 11th, the International Day of the Girl Child. Let's join efforts to say no to all forms of inequality and abuse of the girl child. Again, prosecute abusers according to the law. Do not cover up for them. Speak out, report cases of abuse to the right authority.
The theme for this year says- "The Power of the Adolescent Girl". And what are the Powers? The Law, Quality Formal/Informal Education, The Parents/Guardians, The Teachers, The Family, The Society at large and all Stakeholders.
Let's ensure that all these are in deed the powers for the girl child to live to her full potentials. May God protect every Girl Child and bless the Womanhood!