Justice Development and Peace Commission, JDPC, Ibadan said it has rescued over 10,000 children and placed over 500 on schorlaship scheme in the last seven years.
JDPC Head of Program, Women Development and Childs Programme Mrs. Omotayo Mala Adebayo disclosed this during the sensitization rally held in Ibadan to commemorate 2019 International Day against Child Labour and Day of the African Child
Omotayo who described Child labour as the use of children for task and responsibilities that is detrimental to their development as normal Children noted that 152million children are in child labour today with almost half of these children(72.1million) found in Africa
She maintained that “In the last 7 years JDPC has identified and spoken one on one with well over 5000 children between ages 5 and 17 years engaged in different forms of labour ranging from street hawking, street begging, domestic help, scavengers, truancy child labourers, child trafficking , child sexual abuse, streetism to mention but a few.
“Children become a financially responsible member of the family upon ability to carry their first few steps of life, through our various intervention programmes ranging from psychotherapy sessions, rallies, enlightenment talk in schools and market places, household talks, training, resettlement both educationally and Vocational training, counselling, home tracing /visits, Stakeholders Conferences Child Rights Clubs in Schools etc”
“We have rescued at least 10,000 children and placed 500 in our scholarship scheme while empowering 350 parents.”
She lamented that “Despite all interventions, thousands of children are still engaged in labour at various locations including iwo road, gbagi, Ayeye,Oja Oba, Bere, Sabo, Total Garden, Sanmobola, Cultural Centre, Dandaru River and other.
At the Mokola rally. Mrs Adebayo and her team cautioned against child abuse. street trading. rapping and other activities capable of having negative effects on the children in the society
The team was also at the San Community for the rally during which a rally was held at the palace of the Sarkin Hausa of Ibadan land, Alhaji Ahmed Zungeru on the need to put an end to cases of abuse of Children.
Receiving the JDPC team and others to the Sarkin Hausa palace., the Waziri of Ibadan. Alhaji Yanusa Haruna lauded the team for embarking on the enlightenment against evils of child abuse and the need to protect the rights of the children.
The rally which was attended by representatives of the State Steering Committee on Child Labour, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and Network for the Defence of Child’s Rights was held at Sabo, Mokola Market, Sango and other strategic locations in Ibadan.
