An Examination of the Child Rights Protection and Corporal Punishment in Nigeria

Abstract

There is a saying that cuts across the nation that “children are the future.” They are the future of any family, country etc. To this extent, it is the duty of every government and society to ensure that children are given every care, help, protection, training and education, they may need, in order to grow into useful citizens and members of society. All legal instruments made for protecting the rights of children come under one banner, “the best interest of the child”. When children break the law, it is pertinent to remember that the essence of justice administration is to mould and not to break; to correct and not to punish. The goal is to ensure that such child is healed enough to be successfully reintegrated into society as useful individuals, to themselves, and to society at large. The question is: How can a child be corrected, if the Biblical “rod of correction” is withheld from him? Is it in the best interest of the child to ban corporal punishment? The writers in this work examine the legal concept of a child and the provision of the law, geared towards protection of the child. And make an assessment/examination as to whether those provisions are adequate or not. The writers also assess the provision of the Child Rights Act which prohibits corporal punishment.