AN ANALYSIS OF THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF PARENTS TOWARDS THEIR CHILDREN UNDER ISLAMIC LAW IN NIGERIA

There are serious concerns about the rights of children in Nigeria. The recent economic problem that affect the country had been a major reason for the decline of respect of the children's rights. Similarly, the issue of “Almajiris” activities had caused government to raised alarm about the declining state of children's rights. This had caused the federal government to be a signatory of the United Nations convention on children's rights. It then encourage the state government to domesticate the convention. Significantly, however, Islamic law which happened to be the dominant religion in the northern part of Nigeria had adequate provisions on the rights of the children. This is even one of the reasons most of the northern states were reluctant to domesticate the convention in to law. The educated and rich people even appoint the child for domestic work in Nigeria and deprive them from their educational and cultural rights. Someone earns money with the help of child appointing in inhuman work. So, it is a common phenomenon that a child is not able to take the responsibility of household work and others because of immaturity of health and mind. For lack of love and affections a child may become physically and mentally disable and back warded. But the Holy Quran and Prophet (s) emphasize to build