Stepping Stones Child Empowerment Foundation

Child rights abuses are still prevalent in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. As such, SSNCEF and its partners Stepping Stones Nigeria (SSN), Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), and Basic Rights Counsel (BRC) have launched the second phase of the innovative NDCRW project that will investigate, document, report and monitor cases of child rights abuses in four Niger Delta states viz: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers states.

SSN initiated the Niger Delta Child Rights Watch Project in June 2010 in conjunction with the NGO Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD). The aims of the project were to document, investigate and monitor cases of child rights abuse across

the Niger Delta, to report such cases to the relevant authorities, to encourage successful prosecutions of offenders and to promote a wider understanding of child rights through advocacy activities with police, government, children, families, communities and other NGOs, particularly those involved with the UNICEF-sponsored Child Protection Networks (CPNs) and specifically through centralising the Prevent Abuse of Children Today (PACT) campaign in all advocacy activities. This is the first project of its kind in the Niger Delta.

Evaluation of the project has highlighted a number of ways in which the scope of the project requires expansion. The project to date has documented 61 cases of abuse involving 74 children in 4 Niger Delta states. Arrests were made in 25 cases and charges brought in 10 cases, with a further 5 ongoing. It is apparent from the project evaluation that key challenges had to be addressed regarding the continuation of the project and the findings have been built into this second phase.

The project will expand the existing Niger Delta Child Rights Watch project through:

Documenting, investigating and monitoring cases of child rights abuse in 4 Niger Delta states and improving case management systems for all NGOs involved in the project
Providing medical, counselling, legal and other forms of support to victims of abuse, and reunifying children where possible and appropriate
Conducting litigation on child rights cases from CRS and Akwa Ibom State (AKS), and supporting litigation in other Niger Delta states
Advocating at a local and national level to assist government to improve the implementation of the Child Rights Act and to support police, judiciary and social welfare departments in effectively prosecuting child rights offenders and providing support to victims.

SSNCEF coordinates the project in Akwa Ibom State; Basic Rights Counsel manages the project in Cross River state while Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) directs the project in Rivers and Bayelsa States.

We encourage you support the project by promptly reporting all cases of child abuses in Akwa Ibom State to SSNCEF Project Officer Edjo Okonubin on +234-704-379-8925, +234-806-925-4333 or send a mail to edjo@ssncef.org.

You may also report child rights abuses in Cross River State to BRC project officer Eseoghene Edoja through eseoibor@yahoo.com, and abuses in Rivers and Bayelsa should be reported to CEHRD Project officer Michael Gbarale via michael4chelsea@yahoo.com.

Also, show your commitment to end child abuse by signing up on our campaign site www.makeapact.org.

Together let’s make a PACT to Prevent Abuse of Child Today!