Stampede: Rights group harps on safety of children

A Child Rights group, SOS Children’s Villages has emphasized the urgent need to always prioritize the safety and protection of children in all spaces.

SOS Children’s Villages, in a statement, following the tragic stampede incidents that claimed the lives of 35 children in Ibadan, 22 in Anambra, and another 10 in Abuja condoled with the families of the victims saying they find these tragedies unacceptable and avoidable especially for the children
They maintained that Section 14 of the Child Rights Act imposes a duty on parents, guardians, institutions, and authorities to provide a safe and conducive environment for children’s care and protection, failure to do so is tantamount to a criminal offense.

The National Director, SOS Children’s Villages, Eghosa Erhumwunse said “This is a wake-up call for all of us as a society. It is not enough to create opportunities for children to thrive; we must also ensure their safety is non-negotiable.”

He pointed out that the loss of these innocent lives across the country is a tragedy that should never have happened saying it spells the incompetence of the organizers and the negligence of duty bearers to the wellbeing of children and the safety of the environment.

“This incident exposes Nigeria as a nation with systemic gaps in child safety measures, inadequate enforcement of event safety regulations, and a lack of accountability in ensuring environments conducive to children’s well-being.”

The National Director of the organisation stressed that they are committed to working with government, civil society, and community leaders to ensure that every child can participate in public events without fear of harm, saying no parent should ever have to bury their child because of preventable lapses in safety.

Commending the swift response of the governments, emergency responders, and healthcare providers in addressing the immediate needs of the victims, he stressed that the tragedies call for long-term actions to prevent a recurrence.

The organisation also called on stakeholders, government agencies, event organizers, media partners, and community leaders to implement rigorous safety protocols for organizing events involving children, including venue capacity limits and effective crowd control measures.

They said the organisers of the events should be held responsible for any lapses in safety and standard procedures, adding that as a matter of urgency, comprehensive provision and psychological support should be provided for survivors of the stampede, counseling, and trauma care for the affected children and their families.

The organisation called for stricter implementation of the Child Rights Act 2003 and all laws that uphold and protect the lives of children, adults, and properties.