Category Archives: CHILD MARRIAGE

Child marriage in Nigeria

Child marriage is defined as a marriage of a girl or boy before the age of 18 and refers to both formal and informal unions in which children under the age of 18 live with a partner as if married. In 90% cases, the girl child is mostly affected.According to UNICEF, Nigeria has the third absolute number of child brides in the world – 3,538,000 …

Child marriage and it’s Consequences

In Nigeria and also in Africa generally, early child marriage is a norm that has been in practice for many years where a girl child is being given a hand in marriage at her early age, mostly before the age of 18. Regardless of the physical and emotional wellbeing of a girl child, many parents, however, have continually been giving out their young girls …

16-year old rape victim bows to family pressure, accepts the rapist’s apology, and case was resolved out of court

A 16-year-old girl (names withheld), allegedly raped by a popular Islamic cleric, Habeebullah Titilope Abdulrahman in Ede, Osun State has bowed to pressure from her family to forgive the cleric. The rape victim who lost her father at a very tender age had on August 2, at the Osun State Magistrate’s Court, Ede vowed to commit suicide if her late father’s …

MAN RAPED AND FORCED DAUGHTER INTO MARRIAGE

A 14-year-old girl (names withheld) has accused her father, Olawale Ibitoye, of raping and forcing her into marriage. The incident occurred at 9, Olulu Close, Ketu, Epe, a Lagos suburb. The victim made the allegation at a traditional birth centre she was taken to during labour. It was gathered that Ibitoye also forced the girl to marry one Moses Okurukpe, …

40-YEAR OLD BUS DRIVER DEFILES 7-YEAR OLD GIRL, DAMAGES HER BLADDER

  A 40-year-old commercial bus driver has been arrested for defiling a 7-year old he calls his wife. the abuse which has been on for a while has now resulted in damaged bladder for the child, who now constantly urinates on herself. The sad incident happened at a compound in Ilupeju PalmGroove area, Lagos State. The victim always visited the suspect …

PARENTS ROLE IN PROTECTING CHILDREN AGAINST SEXUAL ABUSE

As CRACO continues her End Violence Against Children Campaign tour to schools, we want to remind parents that they have their roles to play in protecting their children. The rate of sexual violence against children in our society today requires that all hands must be on deck to salvage the lives and future of our children. While we do our best as a …

Ambode backs 25 years jail term for rapists and perpetrators of domestic violence

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday threw his weight behind the 25 years jail term for rapist and perpetrators of all forms of domestic violence, saying that the time has come to take aggressive steps to put a stop to the menace. Governor Ambode, who led a symbolic walk against Domestic and Sexual Violence in Alausa, Ikeja, with top …

CRACO TAKES END VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN TO CAYLEY COLLEGE, IKEJA, LAGOS

“THERE SHOULD BE A LIMIT WHEN DISCIPLINING A CHILD, IF NOT YOU CROSS THE LINE BETWEEN DISCIPLINE AND TORTURE” Today, CRACO held a seminar for the school children of CAYLEY College, Ikeja. The students were sensitized about what violence against children means and the effects it will have on them. Violence can affect a child for the rest of their …

CRACO TAKES “END VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN” TO CARO FAVOURED COLLEGE, AWODI ORA APAPA, LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

If parents force you into prostitution, what can you do?”, “If a child is being violated by his/her parents or teacher, does the child have the right to report to security agents? “asks Obi Daniella, a student at Caro Favoured College during the CRACO: END VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN” seminar on Wednesday 22nd February 2018.

In preparation towards the launch of the National campaign to end violence against children and in view of the rising cases of violence especially sexual violence against children in most schools, CRACO seeks partnership with schools in Lagos state who are going to be co-owners of the project.

CRACO President Barr. Joseph Igwe

The president of CRACO Barr. Joseph Igwe introduced the school children to what their rights and responsibilities were, he also addressed them on the prevalence of violence which includes- sexual, Physical and emotional violence in our society. He passionately spoke on the recent cases of children going through violence in schools and at home and encouraged them to speak up, report to trusted elders, either parents, teacher, principal, the police or to CRACO if they  encounter or whenever they witness or hear of any case of violence around them .

Students Participating at the Seminar

CRACO Speakers at the event




The session was very enlightening and interactive with the students asking intelligent and relevant questions. Some of the questions asked by the students include:

  • If my step mother is abusing me and my father continues to tell me to have patience, what can I do?
  • Is it bullying if my class captain shouts at me?
  • In expressing my rights to “freedom of movement”, what if my parents refuse me from going somewhere I’d like to go to?
  • How can I help a child who is hawking and going through abuse?
  • What do I do if involved in sexual abuse?

Going by the above questions, you would agree that child abuse and violence against children is a hushed crime going on and these children need someone to listen to them and a friend to help them. Which is why, CRACO is committed to informing, educating and revealing our children to these disastrous issues, creating an opportunity to talk about it, giving them the basic tools to protect/defend themselves and organizations where they can be helped and their future made brighter. Barr. Igwe reassured the children of support from CRACO and contact information on where we can be reached both online and offline were given to the children.

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