Labour

This study critically examines the legal framework established for the protection of children’s rights against child labour within the context of human rights law. Despite comprehensive international and national instruments addressing child labour, the issue persists worldwide, undermining children’s development and violating their fundamental rights. This study analyses key international legal instruments, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions No. 138 and 182, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). These instruments collectively prohibit exploitative child labour and mandate standards for children’s employment, protection from hazardous work, and access to education. At the national level, the study highlights Nigeria’s legal regime, focusing on the Constitution, the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003, and the Labour Act. The Constitution enshrines the right to dignity and prohibits forced labour, forming the supreme legal basis for child protection. The Child Rights Act integrates international standards by prohibiting exploitative and hazardous labour for children under 18 and prescribing penalties for violations. The Labour Act complements this framework by setting minimum age requirements and regulating the conditions under which children may be employed, emphasizing protection from harmful work and the preservation of education. The paper examines persistent challenges to effective enforcement, including socio-economic pressures, cultural acceptance of child labour, and limited institutional capacity. Legal ambiguities and weak enforcement mechanisms undermine the full implementation of these protective laws. The study argues that a robust legal framework is insufficient without strengthened enforcement, public awareness, and harmonized legal interpretations. Conclusively, the realization of children’s rights against child labour requires integrated approaches encompassing stringent enforcement of constitutional guarantees, coordinated application of the Labour Act and Child Rights Act, and socio-economic interventions aimed at addressing the root causes of child labour.

Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF) is an abnormal opening between the balder and the vagina in which urine leaks into the vagina. Sometimes this type develops as a result of obstructed labour in childbirth. This abnormality is rampant among adolescents and as such many young adolescent students still do not have good knowledge about the causes and implication on health. On this note, this study was designed to investigate perception of vesico-vagina fistula among adolescent students in selected secondary school in Ovia North-east Local Government, Edo State. A sample size of 230 adolescents was selected through random sampling technique. A well- structured questionnaire was used as instrument of data collection based on the research objectives. Data collected was analysed using descriptive (Frequency, percentage and mean) and inferential statistics. The level of significance was set at � < 0.05. The data analysis was carried out using IBM Statistical package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21.0 for windows. The result shows that the Adolescents have good knowledge about vesico-vagina fistula and have high (positive) perception towards VVF and the prevention mechanism.