Group decries rising cases of abandoned children in Osun

A Peacemakers centre in Osun State has decried the rising cases of abandoned children in the state.

The centre attributed not domesticating the Violence Against Person (Prohibition) Act in the state as the main cause of the proliferation of street children.

The General Coordinator of Justice, Development & Peace Makers Centre (JDPMC), Rev. Peter Akinkunmi said this at the review of the Violence Against Person (Prohibition) Act on Wednesday.

Akinkunmi called on the Osun State House of Assembly to quickly sign into law the Violence Against Person (Prohibition) Act in the state to complement the federal law on the act.

In his word, “The particular point as an organisation where we have a very strong interest is the issue of the care of the family. That this particular act has captured the importance of caring for the family so that it is not possible for the father to abandon children without consequence before the law.

“This is very important because it’s a prevalent issue in Osun state and rampant across the local governments in the state. You can see the continuous proliferation of street children in Osun State today. We think the Violence Against Person Act if passed into law will assist in dealing with this issue.

“Consequently, we cannot disregard the fact that most of the abuses of human rights especially acts of violence are directed against these categories of persons. And that when it pertains to them, the acts are usually concealed in a conspiracy of silence that is fueled by the prevailing culture.

“As such, innumerable persons whose lives already suffer imbalance due to economic disadvantages and social biases are further destroyed physically, psychosomatically, spiritually and socially by unabated perpetrators of violence.”