The Unicef and European union have today join forces to poster Child friendly justice in Sokoto state.
The two bodies commenced a two day training of Sharia court judges, police, and Hisbah group in Sokoto on child protection act with a view to access justice for children below the age of 18 that came in contact with the law in the state whether as offenders, witnesses or Victims, reports Vanguard.
An associate professor of law and Dean faculty of law North East University Gombe prof Umar Alkali while making presentation at the Workshop said vulnerable children rarely have access to child-friendly justice and are often subjected to pre-trial detention, in contravention of child rights standards and sometimes incarcerated with adults thereby exposing them to violence and wanton psychological disorder.
He said the essence of the workshop is to train judges of Sharia court in child justice administration especially those who came in contact with the law inline with the provision of 1989 convention on the rights of the child.
Prof Alkali further stated that, the judges would go through the provision of child protection law of Sokoto state and those of the child rights act, as it relates with the African charter on child rights and welfare.
Also bearing his mind on the new law Hon Khadi Dahiru Dan Jega described the new law as timely and not in conflict with Islamic law, norms and culture.
“The new law will also poster relationship of the children and the courts thereby ensuring that their rights are protected.
“To combat this problem, the European Union and Unicef have joined hands in the quest to ensure child access to justice and full implementation of child rights act for children, including survivors of violence, exploitation and those who come conflict with the law”.
“The training had changed my perception of the new child, which I thought initially is in conflict with the Islamic law and justice system on children”.
The chief Wali of the state Sharia court Abdulazeez Mohammed Yar Abba expressed confidence that the new law would go along away in solving the problems of child rights act and justice system.
“The new law is not new to us as minors who are below the age of 18 are never criminalize in the state Sharia courts, ” the new law signal a green light to us on the need to carefully observe all provisions enshrined in the new act.
