The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have called for urgent reforms to safeguard the rights of children within Nigeria’s legal and justice systems.
The call was made by the UNICEF representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed and NBA president, Mazi Afam Osigwe during the 2025 NBA Annual General Conference in Enugu, which brought together over 20,000 participants including legal professionals, policymakers, development partners, academics, civil society and the media under the theme “Stand Out and Stand Tall.”
UNICEF emphasised that justice for children must go beyond legal protection, ensuring empowerment, reintegration and lasting opportunities for every child.
At a high-level session titled “Ending Child Detention: The Role of NBA in Advancing Justice and Reintegration”, UNICEF and the NBA reaffirmed their joint commitment to ensure that every child, especially the most vulnerable, has access to fair, timely and child-sensitive justice.
“Children should never be behind bars simply because of who they are or the circumstances they are born into,” said Wafaa Saee, “Every child deserves protection, dignity, and a chance to rebuild their future. Our partnership with the NBA is about transforming the justice system into one that protects rather than punishes, empowers rather than excludes, and restores rather than breaks lives.”
She said the partnership between UNICEF and the NBA focused on advancing reforms in four key areas–promoting alternatives to detention and reducing overcrowding in juvenile facilities, strengthening child protection systems at state and community levels.
NBA president, Mazi Afam Osigwe, reaffirmed the association’s commitment, stating that Nigeria had made progress in enacting child protection laws, but enforcement remains a major challenge.
“Together with UNICEF, the NBA will continue to champion reforms that align with both national and international standards for child rights. This year’s conference provides the platform to mobilize the legal community towards action,” he said.
According to him, the collaboration between UNICEF and the NBA signals a growing movement within Nigeria’s legal sector to put children’s rights at the center of justice reform.
