Children’s Rights and Education in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, 2005-2024: a Historical Analysis of Policy Implementation and Contemporary Challenges.

Children’s rights and their access to education have been recognised globally as basic human rights, and it has been essential in ensuring the wellbeing, dignity and development of children worldwide. The realisation of children’s rights and access to education in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, is part of this global ideality, with the reality showcasing inequalities and challenges in achieving the rights. Despite the fact that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 has been ratified on the national level and the Nasarawa State Child’s Rights Law 2005 legislated, there are still enormous gaps towards achieving quality education for all children. The research aims to explore the historical development of children’s right and education in Nigeria. The study will delve into the effectiveness of existing strategies, and assess the impacts and contemporary challenges such as economic barriers, cultural beliefs and infrastructure. The research methodology employs a historical approach with primary and secondary sources for data collection. Findings show that marginalised communities, including girls, children from low-income families and children with disabilities, face systemic obstacles to quality education. The study recommends increasing public awareness, strengthening legal frameworks, ensuring more and tight collaboration among government agencies, NGOs and community leaders in order to contribute to the broader goal of making the rights and education of all children a reality.