The Centre for Legal Orientation and Humanitarian Aid Initiative (CELOHA Nigeria) and the West Africa Network for the Protection of Children (WAN) have expressed concern over what they described as the continued failure of the Kano State Government and the judiciary to fully implement the Kano State Child Protection Law, 2023.
In a joint statement, the organisations said that nearly three years after the law was enacted, key institutions required for its implementation have yet to become operational, raising concerns about the state’s commitment to protecting children’s rights.
The groups argued that while the law was passed to strengthen child protection, its impact remains limited because essential structures have not been established.
According to the statement, two major components of the law remain absent: the designation and operation of Family Courts to handle child-related cases, and the establishment of the Kano State Child Protection Committee, which is expected to coordinate child protection efforts across the state.
CELOHA Nigeria and WAN said the delay has affected children who are victims of abuse, violence, trafficking, neglect, exploitation, child labour, forced marriage and family disputes, as many continue to face delays in accessing specialised justice.
They also noted that the absence of the Child Protection Committee has weakened coordination among government ministries, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, social welfare institutions, schools, healthcare providers, civil society organisations and development partners.
The organisations questioned why the Child Protection Committee had not been established despite being provided for under the law and why Family Courts had not been fully designated and made operational.
They called on the Chief Judge of Kano State to immediately designate and operationalise Family Courts across the state, issue practice directions for handling child-related matters, and assign trained judicial officers to ensure child-friendly court procedures.
The groups also urged Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the Kano State Government to inaugurate the Child Protection Committee without further delay, provide adequate funding and personnel for the committee and Family Courts, and develop a comprehensive Child Protection Action Plan with clear timelines and accountability measures.
In addition, they called for stronger coordination among agencies responsible for child welfare and regular public updates on the implementation of the Child Protection Law.
CELOHA Nigeria and WAN said the rights of children should not remain only on paper, stressing that institutions established under the law must be fully operational to provide effective protection and justice.
The organisations reaffirmed their readiness to work with the Kano State Government, the judiciary, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, and civil society groups to strengthen the state’s child protection system.
“The measure of our society is not the laws we enact, but the lives we protect. Kano’s children deserve more than promises. They deserve action. They deserve functioning institutions. They deserve justice,” the statement concluded.
