Implementation of the Right to Health Services in Juvenile Correctional Institutions in Benue and Lagos States of Nigeria

Abstract

The Child’s Rights Act (CRA) of Nigeria in Part II, Section 13 emphasizes that juveniles in juvenile correctional institutions (JCIs) have ‘right to health and health services’. However, there is strong argument that right to health and health services is not provided to juveniles institutionalized in juvenile correctional institutions in the 24 states out of the 36 states of Nigeria that adopted and adapted the Child’s Rights Act. This study, therefore, investigated the implementation of this right in JCIs in Benue and Lagos States of Nigeria. A cross-sectional design was used for the study and 1,082 persons from 18 – 65 years from the study areas provided data through the use of questionnaire for quantitative analysis, while in-depth interviews (IDIs) were used to collect qualitative data. Findings revealed that 88.7% of respondents from Benue rated provision of health services in JCIs as very poor but no respondent from Lagos rated provision of health services in JCIs as very poor. It is recommended amongst others that health services should be provided to juveniles in Benue JCIs and other States in Nigeria should emulate Lagos in the provision of health services in JCIs as enshrined in CRA.