CHAPTER ONE
1.0
Introduction
1.1
Background
to the study
The Child Rights Act 2003 (CRA)
incorporates all the rights and responsibilities of children; consolidates all
laws relating to children into a single law; and specifies the duties and
obligations of government, parents and other authorities, organizations and
bodies including mass media. The Act defines
a child as a person below the age of 18 years.
The media reflected this upsurge of
interest in its coverage of human rights stories mostly, children’s right.
Today the mass media make reference to children rights in their coverage more
often and more systematically.
This has significant implications on
perceptions of children rights reporting, on what stories editors and
journalists prioritise and how those stories are written.
Goldiom P. L (2000). Maintains that
though journalists have expanded their way of covering human rights into new
areas, many human rights issues are underreported by the media. Much reporting
focuses on violations of rights during conflicts.
The
CRA categorically states that the best interest of the child shall remain
paramount in all considerations. A child retains the right to survival and
development and to a name and registration at birth, and shall be given such
protection and care as is necessary for his or her wellbeing.
The Act
provides for freedom from discrimination on the grounds of belonging to a
particular community or ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion, the
circumstances of birth, disability, deprivation or political opinion; and it
states that the dignity of the child shall be respected at all times.
No Nigerian
child shall be subjected to physical, mental or emotional injury, abuse or
neglect, maltreatment, torture, inhuman or degrading punishment, attacks on
their honor or reputation.
Every
Nigerian child is entitled to rest, leisure and enjoyment of the best
attainable state of physical, mental and spiritual health.
Philip Klapt (2002). The media do not
explain and contextualize children rights information as well as they might. In
general, data on children rights violations and on human rights standards are
not lacking.
However, the impact of this
information on the public is not as great as might be expected. The media miss
children rights stories because they do not pay attention to the specific legal
and policy implications they have.
Every
government in Nigeria shall strive to reduce the infant mortality rate, provide
medical and health care, adequate nutrition and safe drinking water, hygienic
and sanitized environments, combat diseases and malnutrition, and support and
mobilize through local and community resources the development of primary
health care for children.
There are
provisions for children in need of special protection measures. These children
shall be protected in a manner that enables them to achieve their fullest
possible social integration and moral development.
Expectant
and nursing mothers shall be catered for, and every parent or guardian with
legal custody of a child under the age of two years shall ensure his or her
immunization against diseases, or face judicial penalties. Betrothal and
marriage of children are prohibited.
Causing tattoos or marks as well as female
genital mutilation are punishable offences under the Act; so also is exposure of children to pornographic materials, trafficking
of children, their use of narcotic drugs, or the use of children in any
criminal activities, abduction and unlawful removal or transfer from lawful
custody.
Meanwhile, Human Rights
Organizations have become increasingly active players in relation to the media.
They have always been a key source of information. In recent years, the larger
agencies have responded to the new media environment by developing their media
operations.
To
this end, the research will appraise how media can promote children’s right in
Osun State. Meanwhile, opinion leaders, elites, law enforcement agencies,
lecturers, teachers and parents will be consulted to seek their consent on how
media can promote children right in Osun.
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