CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Globally, the concept of Human rights are described as the “rights which all human beings have by virtue of their humanity, such as the right to life, dignity of human person, personal liberty, fair hearing and freedom of thought, conscience and religion. They provide a common standard of behavior among the international community” (Dada, 2013). They are classified as inviolable, unalterable and natural rights of every living human being. The violations of these rights are considered to be a major affront to one’s sense of justice.
Like every sane country in the world, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, provides some fundamental rights of the citizens. This includes the right to life, right to dignity of human person, right to personal liberty, right to fair hearing, right to private and family life, right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, right to freedom of movement, right to freedom from discrimination, and the right to acquire and own property anywhere in Nigeria (FRN Constitution, 1999).
However, human rights in the real sense is more than a collection of formal norms. They are mostly moral, cultural and philosophical conditions that dignified the value of man in the society. In this sense, the Nigerian state and the records of human rights violations over the years are outrightly shameful ( Ijaiya, 2006). Same goes for the menace of child abuse in the Nigerian society.
Also, according to the Human Rights Report (2010), human rights abuse in Nigeria constitutes the violation of citizens' right to change their government, arbitrary arrest and detention, extrajudicial killings, summary executions, torture, degrading treatment of prisoners, denial of fair public trial, restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion, and movement; female genital mutilation (FGM) and child abuse (Ede &Kalu, 2018).
In the Nigerian context, the manifestations of child abuse appear in various forms, both in formal and informal sectors. The different forms of child abuse includes child labor, sex trade, early and forced marriages, female genital mutilation, street hawking, child beggars, child witches, bullying, child trafficking and corporal punishment, bus conducting, etc (Sossou and Yogtiba, 2008). The part of these is that, these forms of abuses are often melted on children intentionally or unintentionally by their parents, guardians, care givers, employers, elders, religious leaders and other members of the society.
The public complaints commission is seen as the machinery that controls administrative excesses, especially in situations whereby the law is abused or not adhered to. This organ ensures that aggrieved citizens in Nigeria get administrative justice be it from bureaucratic errors, omission or abuse by officials of government, or even limited liability companies in Nigeria. the main function of the public complaints commission is to ensure that impartial investigation is provided on behalf of the complaints who feel aggrieved by the action or inaction of the government or private companies. By law the commission is empowered to enforce compliance in order to obtain the necessary information. This power is vital to the commission in facilitating impartial investigation in order to arrive at a fair and equitable decision. Investigation of all complaints are provided at no cost to both the complainant and respondent that is citizen and non citizen resident in the country and their complaints are treated with the confidentiality they deserve. The commission is also to function via career civil servants in three separate departments; investigation department, administrative department, finance and supply.
In light of this, the study will look at human right, public complaints and child abuse during the Muhammadu Buhari Administration.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The prevalence of child abuse and human right violations precede the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, however, there seem to be a very high rate of these scourge in Nigeria of recent. For example, the prevalence of child abuse differs from one region to another. In the southern part of Nigeria, child abuse takes the form of engaging children in domestic services, bus conducting, car washing, drug peddling, industrial work, street hawking, child trafficking, street begging and so on. However, in the northern part of the country, child abuse takes the form of female genital mutilation (FGM), kidnapping, child marriage, hawking and street begging.
However for the child, it must be said that the circumstances of their childhood have everlasting effect on their personality. A child that is subjected to prostitution for example, may end up seeing it as a societal norm, a justified means of livelihood and a thing to equip the future generation with. Same thing goes to a child that has been used to the Almajiri lifestyle. Now, for these barbaric acts to stop, there is need to further equip the public complaints mechanisms in a way that it would be easier for the victims to come forward and be heard. Hence, this study will attempt to look at human right, public complaints and child abuse in Nigeria. The pertinent question herein will be the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari Administration in curbing these menaces in the society.
1.3 Research Objectives
The main objective of the study is to investigate human right, public complaints and child abuse in Nigeria. However, the specific objectives are to:
- Ascertain the extent of human rights violations and child abuse in Nigeria.
- Determine the implications of human rights violations and child abuse in Nigeria.
- Ascertain how a proper mechanism of public complaints can be used to curb human rights violations and child abuse in Nigeria.
- Proffer suggestions to the federal government to help curb human rights violations and child abuse in Nigeria.
- What is the extent of human rights violations and child abuse in Nigeria?
- What are the implications of human rights violations and child abuse in Nigeria?
- How can a proper mechanism of public complaints be used to curb human rights violations and child abuse in Nigeria?
- What are the suggestions curbing human rights violations and child abuse in Nigeria?
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Scope of the Study
The study covers relevant areas as regarded to human right violation and child abuse in Nigeria. The scope of the study will cover the President Muhammadu Buhari administration from 2015 to 2020.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The significance of this study cannot be overemphasized. The study will be of immense benefits to NGOs, human rights activists, governments at all levels in Nigeria and scholars.
The study will create a deep awareness about the scourge of Child Abuse and Human Rights’ violation in the country. The study will also highlight the strides taken to curb this menace by the government and NGOs and proffer solutions to the lingering problems associated with this issue.
Also, the study will be of immense benefits to researchers who might want to use the study as a reference point in similar studies.
1.7 Research Methodology
The study will adopt a qualitative method of data collection. Thus, data would be generated from secondary source materials. Qualitative research entails a perspective of social concepts as an increasingly shifting sphere based on individual contributions. Data would be sourced through relevant text materials and historical documents. This includes texts, journals, online articles, Magazines, Archives and the likes.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Child Abuse: This is any form of maltreatment by an adult, which is violent or threatening for the child. This includes neglect. When child abuse occurs in the home and the abuser is, for example, the child's parent or care-giver, this is a form of domestic violence .
Human Rights: These are moral principles or norms that describe certain standards of human behavior and are regularly protected in municipal and international law.
Public Complaints: This generally the mechanism or an institution established by the government to entertain dissatisfaction as regards to human rights or child abuse issues from the public.
