WTC News Blog

The wife of the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Bishop. Dr. Eyoanwan Bassey Otu has reiterated her commitment to paying more attention to issues around children in street condition in Calabar. The First Lady made the commitment during a courtesy visit by the Cross River State Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations that work with children as part of activities marking 2025  Int'l Day of Street Children observed 12th April, yearly. After a robust  interative session and presentation of copies of Concept Notes on Rehabilitation of Street Children in Calabar, Cross River State Child Rights Law as well as Guidelines and Regulations for Alternative Care for Children in Cross River State to Her Excellency the wife of the Governor of Cross River State,  Bish. Dr. Eyoanwan Bassey Otu promised to double her efforts towards addressing the issue of street children in Calabar as part of her Humanitarian Interventions. Speaking earlier, the...

The Chairman, Cross River State Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Majesty, Ovai Elder Solomon Osim Edward has  pledged his maximum support towards the implementation of the Cross River State Child Rights Law. The Monarch made the commitment during an Advocacy Visit by members of the State Child Rights Law Implementation Committee led by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Edema Irom to his office in Calabar. Ovai Elder Solomon Edward reiterated his passion and commitment towards the welfare of children as well as their Rights, hence, he would not hesitate to give his full support towards the implementation of the Cross River State Child Rights Law. The Chairman, Traditional Rulers Council also informed the committee that the Council will meet in April,2025. He offered to give members of the committee an opportunity to address the Traditional Rulers on the provisions of the Child Rights Law. Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Edema Irom who led the t...

Cross River State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Edema Irom has charged members of the State Child Rights Law Implementation Committee to be committed to ensuring effective implementation of the Cross River State Child Rights Law. Hon. Irom gave the charge at a two - Day Capacity Building Workshop recently organised by the Ministry of Women Affairs in conjunction with Save the Children Int'l for members of the State Child Rights Law Implementation Committee at Ogoja in Cross River State. The Commissioner stated that the capacity building workshop was to acquaint members of the committee with adequate knowledge Child Rights, Child Labour and Protection as well as remediation programmes in Cross River State for effective implementation of the Law. Participants at the workshop were drawn from line Ministries that handle issues related to children such as; Ministry of Women Affairs, Social welfare and Community Development, Education, Health, Information, Justice, Agriculture, St...

 Williams Okoi Arikpo Today is International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation and the Theme for this year is  "Stepping up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM" Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights, the health and the integrity of girls and women. Girls who undergo female genital mutilation face short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine, as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health and mental health. Although primarily concentrated in 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East, female genital mutilation is a universal issue and is also practiced in some countries in Asia and Latin America. Female genital mutilation continues to persist amongst immigrant popul...

Earlier on Friday 1st November, 2024, the attention of the Child Protection Network Nigeria was drawn to the viral video of a significant number of severely malnourished children, who were arraigned at the Federal High Court Abuja on allegations of Treasonable Felony and other charges. These children were said to be have been arrested in August 2024 for participating in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest, which took place some months ago. In a swift response, The National Coordinator of Child Protection Network Nigeria in collaboration with state coordinator of the FCT Chapter immediately initiated response actions by first contacting relevant and concerned actors within and outside the Network, and conveyed an emergency case response team to ascertain the true state of the unfortunate incident, the situation of the minors affected and design a well-coordinated approach and response strategy to address the situation. The Network this evening held an emergency stakeholders meeting...

 Today, as we celebrate the girl child – an embodiment of present realities and future hope, we celebrate not only the achievements of women but also the limitless potentials of girls, who are our future leaders, innovators, and change-makers. This year’s theme, “the Girls Vision for the Future” is apt as it gives us the opportunity to envision the future that we all, including our girls, will walk into. When I think of the future, I see a world where every girl is empowered to dream big and pursue those dreams without fear or limitation. Imagine a society where access to education is universal and girls no longer face barriers based on their gender. This is a future where every girl has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive — where her voice is not just heard, but valued. Education is the key that unlocks doors to opportunities. It equips girls with knowledge and skills, enabling them to contribute to their communities and the world. But we must do more than just provide acce...

A delegation from the Child Protection Network (CPN) in Cross River State visited the Obong of Calabar at his palace located. The purpose of this visit was to address pressing child protection concerns within the community and to strengthen collaborative efforts towards safeguarding children’s rights. The team was led by Bajie Ayuk, the CPN Legal Adviser, Other notable members included Mr. Kingsley, who served as the Public Relations Officer (PRO), and Bar.Obaji who is a legal officer within the network, Sectary and 2 others. Their combined expertise provided a robust foundation for discussing legal frameworks and advocacy strategies concerning child protection. Key Discussions Child Protection Concerns During the meeting, the Cross Rier State CPN Coordinator, Kebe Ikpi represented by the CPN Legal Adviser Bajie Ayuk, Esq,  articulated various child protection issues affecting children in Cross River State. These concerns included: Child Abuse: Highlighting instances of physical, e...