FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27th May, 2026
CHILDREN’S DAY 2026: PROTECTING THE RIGHTS, DREAMS, DIGNITY, AND DIGITAL FUTURE OF EVERY ABIA CHILD
The Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) joins millions of Nigerians and the global community in celebrating Children’s Day 2026, a special occasion dedicated to honouring the innocence, brilliance, resilience, creativity, and limitless potential of every child.
Today is not merely a celebration; it is a solemn reminder of our collective legal, moral, and social responsibility to protect every child and create an environment where they can thrive safely, learn freely, dream boldly, and reach their fullest potential.
Children remain the future leaders, innovators, professionals, policymakers, and change-makers of our society. Consequently, every investment made in child protection, education, healthcare, welfare, safeguarding, and development is ultimately an investment in a more just, prosperous, and equitable future.
As an organisation with Child Rights Protection and Advocacy as one of its core thematic focus areas, CEHRAWS reaffirms its unwavering commitment to advancing policies, programmes, advocacy initiatives, and legal interventions aimed at promoting the best interests of children and protecting them from abuse, exploitation, neglect, violence, discrimination, and all forms of rights violations.
On this occasion, CEHRAWS commends the administration of Dr. Alex C. Otti for ongoing efforts geared towards creating a more conducive environment for the growth, development, education, and welfare of children in Abia State.
We particularly acknowledge the laudable efforts surrounding the ongoing development of a Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy being championed by the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Development with support from Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC II) Programme. This initiative represents a commendable step towards strengthening institutional mechanisms for child safety, prevention of abuse, accountability, and protection systems within the state.
CEHRAWS believes that safeguarding frameworks are no longer optional; they are essential instruments for protecting children in schools, homes, communities, faith institutions, digital spaces, and all environments where children interact.
However, while appreciating these progressive developments, we respectfully urge the Government of Abia State under the leadership of Governor Alex Otti to facilitate an urgent review and strengthening of the Abia State Child Rights Law to reflect the rapidly evolving realities confronting children in this digital age.
The increasing exposure of children to online platforms and digital technologies has created emerging threats requiring urgent legislative attention, including:
✓ Cyberbullying and online harassment;
✓ Digital exploitation and grooming;
✓ Online sexual abuse and exploitation;
✓ Exposure to harmful digital content;
✓ Privacy violations involving children;
✓ Technology-enabled abuse and manipulation;
✓ Unauthorized dissemination of children’s images and personal information;
✓ Other internet-related violations affecting child safety and wellbeing.
The existing legal framework should evolve to adequately address these contemporary threats and provide stronger safeguards for children within both physical and virtual environments.
Children’s rights must not end at the school gate or the home front; they must equally extend to the digital spaces where children increasingly live, learn, communicate, and grow.
CEHRAWS therefore calls on government institutions, parents, schools, traditional institutions, faith-based organisations, civil society actors, development partners, and the private sector to strengthen collaboration towards building a child-friendly Abia where every child enjoys protection, dignity, education, participation, safety, and equal opportunities.
As we celebrate this Children’s Day, let us collectively commit ourselves to raising not just educated children, but protected children; not just talented children, but empowered children; not just future leaders, but children whose rights are fully respected today.
Happy Children’s Day to every child in Abia State and beyond.
Signed:
Okoye, Chuka Peter
Executive Director, CEHRAWS
cehraws@gmail.com | +234(0)808-035-1242
Facebook: Cehraws
