Child Rights (amendment) Law, 2024

CHILD RIGHTS (AMENDMENT) LAW, 2024

1. Short Title and Commencement. This Law may be cited as the Child Rights (Amendment) Law, 2024 and shall come into force on the date it receives the assent of the Governor.

2. Interpretation. "Principal Law" means the Child Rights Law, 2008.

3. Amendment of Section 2 of the Principal Law. Section 2 of the Principal Law is amended as follows: (a) By deleting the word "approved" in the definition of the words "approved authority" and substituting with the word "appropriate"; (b) By deleting the word "Education" in the definition of the word "Appropriate Officers" and substituting with the words, "Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development"; (c) By inserting a new paragraph "(c)" in the interpretation of the words "child of the family" as follows: "(c) a child being of both intended parents by surrogacy"; (d) By inserting the definition of the words "Child Care Centres" before the definition of the words "Child Care Training" as follows: "Child Care Centres" means temporary board and lodging to be provided by the Ministry or private persons with the approval of the Appropriate Authority for the children and in exceptional circumstances, their mothers, pending adoption"; (e) By inserting the definition of the words "Commissioner" after the definition of the word "Commission" as follows: "Commissioner" means Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development"; (f) By deleting the definition of the word "Comptroller-General" means the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Prison Service and substituting with a new definition as follows: "Controller-General" means the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service"; (g) By inserting the definition of the words "Social Welfare Officer" after the definition of the words "Skin Mark" as follows: "Social Welfare Officer" means a person in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development who provides support and welfare services to children in need"; (h) By deleting the definition of the words "State Comptroller of Prisons" and substituting with a new definition of the words "State Controller" means the Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the State";

4. Amendment of Section 10(1) of the Principal Law. Section 10(1) of the Principal Law is amended by inserting the words "that is in the best interest of the Child" after the words "Parental Control".

5. Amendment of Section 11(1) of the Principal Law. Section 11(1) of the Principal Law is amended by deleting the entire subsection (1) and substituting with a new subsection (1) as follows: "(1) A child shall not be subjected to an y form of discrimination".

6. Amendment of Section 27(1) of the Principal Law. Section 27(1) of the Principal Law is amended by deleting the entire subsection (1) and substituting with a new subsection (1) as follows: "27(1) Subject to this Law, no child shall be: (a) subjected to any forced or exploitative labour; or (b) employed to work in any capacity except where he is engaged by a member of his family on light work of an agricultural, horticultural or domestic character; or (c) required, in any case, to lift, carry or move anything so heavy as to be likely to adversely affect his physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development; or (d) employed or used as a domestic help outside his home or family environment."

7. Amendment of Section 32(1) of the Principal Law. Section 32(1) of the Principal Law is amended by deleting the entire subsection (1) and by substituting a new subsection (1) as follows: "(1) No child shall be recruited into the Armed Forces, Police or any Paramilitary Agencies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

8. Amendment of Section 118 of the Principal Law. Section 118 of the Principal Law is amended as follows: (a) by deleting the entire subsection(l) and substituting a new subsection (1) as follows: "(1) The State Government shall, for the purpose of adoption, establish and maintain within the State an Adoption Service Department in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development for the purpose of dealing with adoption matters." (b) by deleting the entire subsection 1 (3)(a) and substituting a new paragraph (a) as follows: "(a) temporary board and lodging, (Child Care Centres) where needed by a child and in exceptional circumstances, the mother of the child"; (c) by deleting the entire subsection (4) and substituting a new subsection (4) as follows: "(4) The State Government may grant to private persons the power to establish Child Care Centres with the approval of the Appropriate Authority".

9. Amendment of Section 136(1) of the Principal Law. Section 136 (1)(a) of the Principal Law is amended by deleting the entire paragraph (a) and substituting with a new paragraph (a) as follows: "(1)(a) Except by an order of the Court and with the approval of the Appropriate Authority, receive or agree to receive any payment or reward, in consideration for the facilitation of the adoption of a child under this Law;"

10. Amendment of Section 199(2) of the Principal Law. Section 199(2) of the Principal Law is amended by deleting the word "behavioral" and substituting the word "behavioral". And also by deleting the words "Charge Justice System and substituting the words "Child Rights Law".

11. Deletion of the words "Child Development Officer" and insertion of the words "Social Welfare Officer". The Principal Law is amended by deleting the words "Child Development Officer" wherever it appears and substituting with the words "Social Welfare Officer".