NBA Calls for Stronger Enforcement of Child Rights Act

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for stronger enforcement of the Child Rights Act and its adoption in all states to protect girls from child marriage, harmful practices and barriers to education.

NBA President, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN), made the call in a statement on Sunday to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.

She expressed concern that many girls continued to face challenges that restricted their opportunities despite existing laws designed to protect their rights.

Badejo-Okusanya urged governments to strengthen child-protection institutions and ensure that access to justice was not determined by a family’s financial capacity. She also called on communities to reject harmful practices and encouraged individuals to report abuse and violations of girls’ rights.

The NBA president reaffirmed the association’s commitment to working with relevant institutions to ensure that the rights of every girl were not only recognised by law but effectively protected.