Rights Academy Child Rights Protection Alumni Group holds talk show on International Day for Street Children

Rights Academy Child Rights Protection Alumni Group holds talk show on International Day for Street Children

In commemoration of the International Day for Street Children 2024, themed “Embracing Belonging,” the alumni of the Rights Academy convened a radio session at Sparkling 92.3 FM in Calabar. The session shone a stark light on the grave and often overlooked plight of hundreds of street children scattered across the Calabar Metropolis. These children, devoid of care, protection, or supervision, navigate their survival on the harsh streets through any means possible.

The discussion, led by field research expert Mr. John Joseph Atsu, alongside Grace Denis, Jude Awara and Comfort Umohof the Rights Academy Child Rights Protection Group, delved deep into the realities faced by these vulnerable children. Mr. Atsu began by defining a street child based on legal age of 18 but emphasized their common lack of parental care, emotional, and psychological support. He portrayed the streets not just as a place where these children end up, but as a battleground where daily survival is a formidable challenge.

Grace Denis brought to light the harrowing paths that lead children to such dire circumstances. She highlighted cases where children were branded as witches by religious groups, blamed for family misfortunes, and subjected to brutal exorcisms. When these exorcisms failed, the children were often cast out by their own families. She also touched on other distressing family dynamics, including children being ousted by stepparents or outright disowned.

Comfort Umoh spoke passionately about the brutal abuses these street children endure—ranging from human trafficking and child prostitution to forced involvement in drug peddling and even cult groups. This exposure not only strips them of their childhood but thrusts them prematurely into dangerous adult circumstances.

Towards the end of the session, listeners were invited to contribute via phone, suggesting that government intervention should include not only the enforcement of child protection laws but also proactive measures like family planning to curb the burgeoning number of street children.

The session concluded with a strong call to action for governmental bodies to establish dedicated homes for these children and to fully enforce the Cross River State Child Rights Law (2023) as amended. The speakers emphasized that without a committed implementation of these laws, the cycle of neglect and abuse would persist, leaving countless children to fend for themselves in those perilous environments.