Children’s Day: Children demands review of voting age.

By Abdullahi jalaluddeen

In commemoration of Children’s Day Celebrated across the Globe, Children from various schools across Kano State have called for a downward review of the voting age in the country to enable them to exercise their voting rights and participate in the decision-making on matters that affect children.

The children led by Saudat Wakili made the call while acting in the capacity of UNICEF Chief of Field Office, CFO and when the children took over the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF Field Office in Kano for two hours in commemoration of World Children’s Day.

The Children called on Government in the Country to review the voting age from 18 years to 15 years ,aimed at given Children to participate in the Democratic dispensation of the country.

Wakili appealed to the government to look into the need to ensure upward review of the official child marriage age from 18 years.

She lamented that street begging is still rampant in the state.

“United Nations Convention, UNESCO states that the right of a child as spelt out, the Children have the right to education and should be encouraged to go to school to the highest level.

“We advise the government to do the needful to address this trend.”

“Therefore, we are urging the government to increase the official marriage age to enable the children to complete schooling and build their future.”

The Children decried exposure to exclusive prime time, cyber bulling and online abuse.

They call on stakeholders to monitor the content of online media platform,stressing that Cyber bulling should be sanction to ensure online safety for the children.

Earlier, the Chief of Field Office, CFO, Maulid Warfa while handing over the office to the children said UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child in everything it does hence the commemoration of the day.

Warfa represented by his WASH Manager, UNICEF field office, Kano, Rafid Aziz said, “The #KidsTakeover of the UNICEF Field Office Kano will provide an opportunity for the participating children to learn about the organisation that works to promote their rights and well-being, as well as provide them an opportunity to share ideas with UNICEF as to what they consider to be the solutions to the issues that affect children, including those in the Changing Childhoods Study Report.”