The recent killing of children in Ngarbuh, North West region of Cameroon by soldiers and vigilante group members has been pointed as a shinning example of the continous violation of the rights of a child in Cameroon.
According to Barrister Tamfu Richard, a human rights lawyer in Cameroon “…government has not taken special measure to ensure the respect of the rights of children by both separatists and military. This on daily bases exposes children to all sorts of abuses”.
Besides outright killings by either the military or separatist fighters, most children in the anglophone regions have been denied their basic rights of receiving formal education since 2016 when separatist fighters called for school boycott.
Many young girls have been raped, kidnapped or gone missing in the course of the conflict.
As the African continent observes the day of the African Child today June 16, 2020, Bar. Tamfu says the criminal procedure code has special provisions on the judgement and sentencing of minors and children. To him, this may entail taking a child that has committed a crime to a rehabilitation centre than to the prison.
The day of the African Child (DAC) is observed on the theme “Access to a child friendly justice system in Africa”.
It was put in place after the massacre of children in SOWETO in 1976 for protesting against apartheid regime.
Mimi Mefo Info.
