IMPORTANCE OF SAFEGUARDING IN NIGERIA SCHOOLS

Safeguarding children and young people from sexual abuse, neglect, and all forms of harm, and protecting their welfare, is the fundamental right of every child in Nigeria. Many children and young people suffer bullying, neglect, and sexual abuse at the hands of some teachers and classmates. This destroys their dignity and self-esteem, harms their academic performance, and causes them to become a nuisance in society.

As leaders, teachers, and all stakeholders in this sector, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and it is our paramount duty to embrace it as a core pillar of our institutions.

What is safeguarding

Safeguarding is the process and procedures schools put in place to ensure the safety and welfare of children and young people from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, neglect, and other forms of harm, within the school or outside the school environment.

Anyone who works for the school or comes into contact with the pupil within the school premises or has contact with them during other post-school programs with other pupils should not cause harm to them.

This concept entails a wide range of procedures and policies, from background checks of staff or consultants during recruitment, to online safety protocols and anti-bullying measures.

Type Of Abuse And Harm

• Physical Abuse: Refers to any injury or pain inflicted on someone’s body.

• Sexual Abuse: Unwanted sexual activity by perpetrators who use force, threats, or take advantage of a victim who is not able to give consent

• Exploitation: Misusing position or power or trust to exchange goods, services, or money for sex

• Emotional Abuse: Deliberately causing mental harm to an individual

• Neglect: Failure to provide a child or at-risk adult its basic needs and failure to prevent harm.

• Self-abuse: This happens when one neglect itself or expose itself to harm.

• Bullying: Bad, abusive, or a type of bullying threatening behavior related to a person’s that intends to make an identity, e.g., age, gender, individual or group ethnicity, HIV status, or individuals feel afraid, disability humiliated, or ashamed.

• Harassment: Is unacceptable or unwelcome sexual behavior that takes place between staff in the workplace

• Discrimination: Treating people unfairly because of their identity or who they are, e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, HIV status, disability, or pregnancy.

BENEFIT OF HAVING SAFEGUARDING POLICY AND PROCEDURES IN OUR SCHOOLS

Moral Duty

Children and youths are among societies most vulnerable. It is our moral responsibility to ensure they learn and grow in environments that prioritize their safety. Promote a safe organizational culture where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, free from bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

Legal Obligation

Nigerian law has clear legislation in place regarding the protection of children. The Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003 was enacted to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of the Child and constitutionally protected right to Nigeria children. It provides a legal framework to protect children from abuse, exploitation, and discrimination while promoting their survival, development, and participation in society. Schools are mandated to comply, making safeguarding not just a moral but also a legal obligation.

Promotion Position Outcome

A safe environment fosters trust, which in turn promotes learning and positive developmental outcomes for students. When the learning environment is safe, we produce children who are bold, happy, and ready to impact the lives of other kids positively. Marianne Williamson states that you cannot give what you do not have: we cannot bring peace to the world if we ourselves are not peaceful. “The Bible reinforces this idea. Proverbs 25:14 states, “Whoever falsely boasts of giving is like clouds and wind without rain”, highlighting that claiming to give what one lacks is empty and deceptive.

EFFECT OF NOT HAVING A POLICY IN A SCHOOL

• Lack of policy can negatively affect the school’s reputation. The school may face legal action or loss of public trust once there are cases of abuse and harm in the school.
• Growth of children who are victims of abuse can be affected, which includes chronic stress, cognitive impairments, and increased risk of mental health disorders
• Research has shown that people who experience some form of abuse as a child tend to become an abuser in the future.
• Results in poor academic performance of our children who are victims of abuse.
• Exposes teachers, children, and the institution to harm
• Legal consequences; schools that fail to promote a safe culture will face the law when there is any breakdown on issues of abuse. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
• Procedures and processes required to safeguard our schools
• Through constant sensitization of the teachers, volunteers, pupils, parents, and all those that come in contact with these children and their teachers.
• Have policies and procedures that are clear and concise for everyone to understand, that guide the conduct of staff, volunteers, students, and parents within and outside the school environment.
• Have a confidential reporting channel in place that is accessible by all
• And when cases of abuse thus happen, to look into it without exposing the victim to more harm, for example, a system that is survivor center approach.
• Having informative communication tools that inform and remind all on it safeguarding commitment.
•  Collaborate with government authorities and other private agencies in reporting issues of sexual abuse and harm that happen in school, for immediate support.
• Foster safe culture: Encourage a culture of openness, where staff and students feel comfortable reporting and discussing concerns of abuse or harm without fear of retribution.

Procedures and processes Required to safeguarding our schools

• Through constant sensitization of the teachers, volunteers, pupil, parent and all those that come in contact with this children and its teachers.
•  Have policies and procedures that is clear and concise for everyone to understand, that guides the conduct of staff , volunteers , students and parents within and outside the school environment.
• Have a confidential reporting channel in place that is accessible by all
• And when cases of abuse thus happens, to look into it without exposing the victim to more harm, example system that is survivor centre approach.
• Having informative communication tools that informs and reminds all, ,on it safeguarding commitment.
•  Collaborate with government authorities and other private agencies in reporting issues of sexual abuse and harm that happens in school, for immediate support.
• Foster safe culture: Encourage a culture of openness, where staff and students feel comfortable to report and discuss concerns of abuse or harm without fear of retribution.

Safeguarding As A Way Of Life

Any academic institution that does not care for these vulnerable ones is on its way to doom. This is because prevention is better than cure. It is our responsibility to abide by practices that minimize risk, and to speak up against suspected wrongdoing or threats against our children and youth.

With all this clearly stated, the leadership of Destiny Kiddies Int. School, Dakwa. Ambassador Hope Ezekaka took the bull by the horns, insisting that all her staff and volunteers undergo two days of intensive training by Ezema Ogochukwu Dorathy, a consultant with Resource and Support Hub, UK.

Contact Ezema Ogochukwu Dorathy for your safeguarding policy;

Email: consult@ezemadorathy.com
WhatsApp: +2348062943860.