The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UNICEF

  • World Children’s Day: Akeredolu seeks priority attention for children

    Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State says priority attention should be given to children in view of their importance to the nation and the future of the society.

    Akeredolu made the assertion in Akure on Tuesday when the Children Management Committee of the Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC) and Orange FM paid a courtesy visit to his office.

    The visit was part of activities marking the 2018 World Children’s Day.

    The World Children’s Day is a day chosen by United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to celebrate children worldwide.

    The governor said: “You are the future of the nation and we are prepared to work and interact with you as we go along.

    “This government will continue to do all it can to support all your requests.’’

    He advised parents to talk to their children and not to only talk about them.

    Read Also: International Children’s Day: 10m Nigerian children out of school – UNICEF

    Akereolu said that today’s children had the opportunity and access to better innovations, particularly computers, unlike in the past which was full of analogue lifestyle.

    The governor urged children to embrace agriculture as well as hygienic lifestyles.

    He also encouraged children to champion the fight against open defecation as Nigeria emerged second on the global list of countries with open defecation.

    According to him, the state government is committed to providing a conducive environment for learning.

    “I enjoin you to get involved in extra-curricular activities outside reading and the classroom.

    “Everything is not about academics or about reading; we have more to learn than just reading.

    “Your curriculum should not just limit you to books. There are a lot of activities like sports that make you a better person.

    “Don’t just go to school and come out. Let the school goes through you, ‘’ the governor said.

    Earlier, Miss Nifemi Obalokun, the One-Day Chairman, Management Committee of OSRC and Orange 94.5 FM, commended the governor for inspiring and supporting the initiative of the OSRC & Orange 94.5 FM and UNICEF.

    Obalokun, also a student of St. Louis Girls Grammar School, Akure, said the day was set aside by the UN to review its attention to and relationship with children.

    She lauded he governor for his infrastructure interventions, construction of educational facilities, expansion of health programmes, workers’ friendly policy, job creation and commitment to the society’s progress.

    Obalokun said it was sad that the world, particularly Africa, might suffer a gloomy future due to the dangers to which children were exposed to.

    She called for protection, education, encouragement and planning for children.

    NAN

  • International Children’s Day: 10m Nigerian children out of school – UNICEF

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says over 10 million children in Nigeria are out of school.
    The fund also said about 60 million children are globally out of the school burden.

    Mr Mohamed Fall, UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday in commemoration of the International Children’s Day scheduled for November 20 annually.

    Fall noted that the day was set aside increase the welfare of children globally and above all the realisation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child.

    The country representative emphasised that though Nigeria has made significant progress in fulfilment of the child rights with regard to access to health, reducing infants and under five mortality through the roll back Malaria.

    He further noted that through the improvement in sanitation and hygiene there was reduction in under five mortality and as well getting more children to school and ensuring their protection.

    He however noted that there are still tremendous challenges with regard to practical implementation of the ratified Convention of the Rights of the Child by the Nigerian government and partners through resources allocation and implementation on issues affecting the children.

    According to him, our focus on the protocol of the right of the child is that every single child in Nigeria is given the possibility to survive, possibility to thrive and possibility to have optimum development and as well develop their full potentials.

    Read Also: UNICEF counsels mothers on exclusive breast feeding

    “Nigeria today have over 10 million children that are out of school and that account for large proportion of the burden the world is carrying in terms of number of children that are out of school.

    “Nigeria is having under five mortality of one million, which is one of the third highest in the world, the country also have 11 million children stunted, a form of malnutrition that affect their growth and development.

    “Stunting also affects their development to fulfil their potential and as well affect their ability to learn at learning age which affects good labour force when they grow up.

    “Today the country is also experiencing many forms of violence affecting children as well as all sorts of abuses beside conflict in different context, early marriage and Mother-To-Child HIV transmission.’’

    He however noted that there was need for government at all levels, private sector, civil society, communities, traditional and religious leaders to mobilise in order to reduce these negative indices.

    Fall specifically called for private sector involvement in terms of utilising its leveraging power, influence and innovations, among others.

    He further described the media as key in terms of raising awareness, in terms of mobilising the society to move forward the agenda of children.

    “The government has to do more in terms of resources allocation, legislation, in terms of implementing programmes that was agreed upon.

    “The efforts of the government need to be complemented by the efforts of other segments of the society. The media has to contribute a lot in terms of awareness, making people know what the situations are,” Fall said.

    The country representative noted that the International Children’s Day was set aside in 1989 on the resolution of the UN Assembly by the international community where they adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

    He emphasised that the day was set aside to celebrate the progress, achievement and as well celebrate where each countries are today.

    “It help us to see the way we still have to go because despite the progress challenges are still there, issues are still affecting the possibility for children to survive, thrive and to live their lives and achieve their full potentials,” he said.

    NAN

  • UNICEF convenes global meeting on open defecation

     The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is meeting with key players in sanitation, among other stakeholders in West Africa,
    to strengthen local sanitation markets, its Supply Director, Etleva Kadilli, said on Wednesday in a statement in Abuja.

    Kadilli stated that the meeting was part of efforts to support 250 million people globally to abandon open defecation.

    According to her, the meeting, which is ongoing in Abuja, is aimed at enabling 60 million people to gain access to at least basic
    sanitation service by 2021.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, which opened on Nov. 13, will end on Nov. 15.

    The director stated that “the UNICEF meeting with industry, financial institutions, governments and development partners is to
    discuss how to shape healthy sanitation markets in the West and Central Africa Region.

    “One of the key approaches in the UNICEF global strategy for water, sanitation and hygiene is to build sustainable markets
    for goods and services where supply meets demand.

    “There is need for governments and development partners to work with global and local businesses to ensure that appropriate
    solutions are available and affordable to those who need them.”

    Kadilli, who noted that 2.4 billion people worldwide do not use improved sanitation, stressed the need for consultation as
    important signals were urgently needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) sets targets.

    Read Also:69 percent out-of-school children in north – UNICEF

    She assured that UNICEF had been key custodian of SDG 6.2 and would work to achieve equitable access to sanitation and
    hygiene for all and to end open defecation by 2030.

    She added that “open defecation is a life-threatening practice as contact with human waste can lead to diseases such as
    cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, polio and diarrhea. Inadequate or non-existent sanitation causes tremendous harm.

    “Everyday, 700 children under five years die from diarrhea related diseases.”

    Ms Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, also noted that the level of open defecation in
    West and Central Africa accounted for 14 per cent of global open defecation.

    Poirier specifically noted that in Nigeria alone, 46.5 million people practice open defecation, making it the second highest
    ranked country worldwide.

    She added that “between 2008 and 2017, the creation of sanitation demand through ‘Community Approaches for Total Sanitation
    in West and Central Africa’ led to an increase of almost 25 million people living in open defecation-free communities.

    “Despite this recent success, the current rate of progress is insufficient to eliminate open defecation by 2030.

    “While UNICEF will continue to rely on proven strategies, new accelerators are needed to support local markets to deliver
    sustainable sanitation solutions at scale.

    “Following the rise in demand for toilets, we will work with countries to enhance the engagement of the private sector to provide
    adequate and affordable sanitation products and services, including in isolated, often underserved rural areas.”

    She says UNICEF has a long history of influencing markets and driving product innovation that has increased children’s
    access to essential commodities.

  • UNICEF counsels mothers on exclusive breast feeding

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has advised mothers in Nasarawa State and Nigeria at large to embrace exclusive breast feeding, in the interest of the health of their new born babies.

    Ms Chinwe Ezeife, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna Field office, gave the advice on Friday when members of the organisation were on assessment tour to one of its service centres in Keffi.

    She said that exclusive breast feeding was good for the health of new born babies, hence the need for mothers to feed their children exclusively for six months of life.

    “We are encouraging mothers to embrace exclusive breast feeding. One hour after the birth or delivery, mothers should put their babies to breast feeding.

    `She should feed the child exclusively for six months of life.

    “After that, the mother will introduce other complementary foods because after six months, only breast milk cannot satisfy the nutrient requirement of the child,” she said.

    Ezeife also called for collective efforts to address the challenges of malnutrition in the country.

    “My call on the parents, especially the mothers and fathers is for them to join hands to ensure that the child is given exclusive breast feeding.

    “We know that mothers own the breast, it is also left for the fathers to do their part, to be supportive in terms of providing the necessary needs required by the mother.

    “This is necessary so that the child can be breast feed well,” the nutritionist said.

    She restated the commitment of the UNICEF to continue to key into good projects and policies that had direct bearing on the nutritional need of the children in order to improve on their standard of living.

    Also speaking, Dr Zakari Adam, the Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Kaduna, said that the tour was for him to see things, with the view of addressing any challenge, if any.

    He expressed happiness with the commitment of health workers and other community volunteers of the centres toward tackling the challenges among malnourished children and urged them to sustain the tempo.

    According to him, the Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), provided by the UNICEF are given to children free of charge.

    While thanking UNICEF, Mr Ibrahim Gambo, the Director, Primary Health Care, Keffi Local Government Area said 146 malnourished children had been treated and cured of malnutrition in the area.

    According to him, the achievement is possible because of the support received from UNICEF toward addressing the challenges associated with malnourished children.

    He said that the provision of RUTF, provided by the UNICEF and given to children free of charge, had impacted positively on their lives.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Rabiu Musa, the Communication Officer of UNICEF, Kaduna was part of the assessment team.

    RUTF is funded by Children International Foundation Fund.

  • Polio: Sokoto begins IPV, OPV campaigns across LGs

    Sokoto state government through the State’s Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SSPHCDA) has commenced a state-wide Injectable Polio Vaccine(IPV) and Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) campaigns in eight local governments of the state targeted at children under the age of 5.

    ‎The focal LGs are: Wamakko, Kware, Bodinga, Wurno, Dange/Shuni, Sokoto North, Sokoto South and Yabo respectively.

    The exercise embarked upon is in partnership with WHO and UNICEF to sustain the RI and SIAs against polio.

    The campaign which will span six days is aimed at creating and sustaining awareness with a view to championing acceptance of the vaccine and maximize coverage among children against polio disease.

    In Wurno local government, adequate arrangements for the exercise through the involvement of community leaders, mobilizers (volunteer community mobilizers) were made to ensure compliance.

    Speaking to reporters, the Cool Chain Officer (CCO) Badamasi Sani who stood in for the council’s Director of Health said a sizable number of female mobilizers were engaged to carry out a ‘house to house’ campaigns to sensitize house holds on the prevailing need to offer their wards for immunization of the vaccine.

    According to Sani “We have 11 wards and have designed 42 fixed posts for the exercise.

    ” So far, we have been supplied with 64, 130 of IP V and 64,200 of OPV doses.

    ” Let me also say that we have an organised supervision machinery with adequate mobilizers for RI in order to record the desired success”, he explained.

    Sani added that” we have mounted banners all across the 11 wards and attracted some support including items as Indomie noodles ‎from WHO to ensure compliance by house holds.”

    He noted that “in the past we had the issue of resistance in Tunga ward which we resorted to involving officials of WHO ‎and UNICEF to intervene and it was resolved”, he pointed out.

    Smilarly, in Dange/ Shuni local government, according its NPI Manager, Abubakar Aliyu Dange said they were targeting no fewer than 58,813 within the period of the exercise being carried out across 49 fixed posts of the 11wards.

    According to Dange” we have been supplied with over 62,000 doses of vaccine for IPV and OPV the immunization exercise. We ate recording impressive turnout. This shows that compliance is encouraging.

    ” The success is due to the active involvement of traditional institution and community mobilizers. We commend WHO for its strategic support”, he explained.

    Meanwhile, Dr Larai Aliyu Tambuwal had during a lecture, noted that IPV‎ and OPV were strategically to protect and provide absolute preventive measure against polio virus transmission especially among children.

    ” Every child has the right healthcare delivery service and be protected from killer diseases”, She stressed.

  • CYAD organizes election for pupils of Primark Int’l Academy

    Inculcating and educating our children in leadership and parliamentary processes will not only sanitize our political and electoral space, but will also cause these children to make impacts in their generation and various constituencies in the future.

    This was made known by the founding President of Children and Youth Awareness Development (CYAD) Foundation, Mrs. Temilola Odetola, at the Children and Youth Democratic Electoral Model (CYDEM) program, organized for the pupils of Primark International Academy on Friday in Abuja.

    The program which saw the active participation of pupils in the election of their prefects, was reminiscent to the democratic, open and transparent processes of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    According to Mrs. Odetola, “CYDEM is a program that is initiated to give voters education from the cradle. It is one created to inculcate democratic virtues in our children.

    “It also aims to help children have parliamentary consciousness from childhood.

    “The program was approved and started in 2009, and is well represented in 20 states of the country.

    Read Also: 69 percent out-of-school children in north – UNICEF

    “We hope that this program will lead to the death of voters apathy in the nearest future. This program is in line with what the government approved – the ‘not too young to run’ bill; which has now become a law.

    “Our intention is to prepare the children to give better leadership to their own generation. The idea is that once these children attain youthful ages, they can begin to cause generational change in their various constituencies either as councilors, senators or even governors.”

    Concerning the level of acceptance and challenges the organization faces, Odetola explained that the acceptance is so high that their major challenge is in both human and financial capacity to expand the program across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Although, INEC approved and supported the program with a sum of six million Naira in the year 2009, however, the organization is yet to receive further support from any other government agencies and ministries.

    “We implore the government to come in and look into the CYDEM project ad assist us. We can have it institutionalized in such a way that it helps to not only educate the children about electoral values, but also inculcate leadership, moral and ethical values in our children.

    “We also set up children parliaments within the school. We teach them parliamentary activities and how to take parliamentary decisions that will affect their fellow pupils positively.

    “We hope that CYDEM plus will be sponsored and accepted by the government; we can call it Junior INEC, to prepare the children for the ‘not too young to run’ law. This way we can even provide employment for thousands of youths,” she said.

    One of the parents present at the program, Mr. Jolaiya Taiye Moses, said that: “It is a welcome development which will make the (political) orientation of our children faster than we think. With the rate of their education and exposure, by the time these children find themselves in higher institutions of learning, they will make politics easier.”

  • 69 percent out-of-school children in north – UNICEF

    United Nations Children Fund’s ( UNICEF ) has said that 69 percent of out-of-school children in Nigeria are in the North.

    The organisation, quoting the latest Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) data, said the North East had the largest number of out-of-school children followed by the North West.

    Nigeria, according to the Universal Basic Education Commission and Federal Ministry of Education’s Demography Health Survey (DHS), currently has 13.2million children out of school.

    UNICEF Education Specialist, Azuka Menkiti, said this at a two-day media dialogue in Kano to promote equity in education for children.
    .
    The event was organised by the Child Right Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Federal Ministry of Information And Culture in collaboration with UNICEF.

    She urged both state and the Federal Government to raise budgetary allocation and ensure the release and utilisation of the funds in order to reduce the large number of out –of school children in the country.

    Menkiti said within the huge number of out-of-school children in the country that girls are in the majority especially in northern Nigeria.

    She said: “The latest Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) data shows that of the 11.5 million children out of school in Nigeria, million or 69 percent are in northern states. North east has the largest number of out-of-school children followed by the North West.

    “With this number, Nigeria accounts for more than one in five out-of-school child globally, and 45 percent of out-of-school children in West Africa. Within the huge number of out-of-school children, girls are in the majority especially in northern Nigeria.

    Read Also: PDP to Buhari: Present your certificate to INEC

    “The recent security threats to schools in the north east as well as other parts of Nigeria has contributed significantly to the low demand for and access to education especially for girls.

    “The reality is that children are missing education in Nigeria and a lot of them are coming from northern Nigeria and that is why our interventions are needed more in this region.

    “Everybody is worried about the huge figures of number of out-of-schools in Nigeria. Insurgency in the north eastern Nigeria has been especially damaging to the education system.

    “Budgetary allocation is the not the problem. But will they release that money? There are some states that when they allocate 15 percent to education they won’t release a kobo.”

    UNICEF added that it was important for governments at all levels to put interventions in place to ensure all children go to school in order to facilitate national growth and development.

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that Nigeria’s future depended on producing children who are prepared to take their place in tomorrow’s society.

    Mr. Mohammed, who was represented by the Head, CRIB, Olumide Osanyipeju, added that investing in education and protection of the most disadvantaged, especially children and addressing inequality would ensure sustained growth and stability of any nation.

    The minister said: “Unfortunately, a large number of Nigerian children are at risk of deprivations of basic social amenities. They are situated in the rural and hard-to-reach communities. Majority of them are also living in conflict and communities under emergencies and it has been difficult taking basic amenities to them.

    “Government have come to the realisation that basic education is essential for every child. Lack of access to this basic service is an infringement on the rights of the child.

    “There is a growing evidence that investing in education and protection of the most disadvantaged/vulnerable citizens, in this case, children and addressing inequality will ensure sustained growth and stability of any nation.

    “There is need to integrate children, especially those in difficult terrain and other excluded children and focus on equitable distribution of opportunities now, as it is a giant stride towards the realisation of human rights of children.”

    Also, an Education and Development Consultant for UNICEF, Dayo Ogundimu, said there was a looming calamity in the country if the government continued to provide poor quality education and inequity in education.

    He said: “There is a calamity looming in this country if we continue to provide poor quality education and inequity in education. Every society that realizes the importance of education will not toy with the future of the children.

    “Every child, male or female, desire to have good and quality education so that we can achieve our goals as a nation.

    “We cannot afford to leave anybody behind no matter the circumstances they find themselves.”

  • UNICEF charges C/River Govt. to prioritize child protection

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on the Cross River State Government to prioritize investment in strengthening the system for child protection and development in the state particularly in equipping the family courts and establishing correctional institutions for juveniles in the state in accordance to the state’s Child Rights Law.

    Chief of the Enugu Field Office of UNICEF, Dr Ibrahim Conte, gave the charge in Calabar, the state capital, during a Stakeholders’ Consultation on Development of Family Court Rules for Cross River State.

    Conte, who was represented by Child Protection Specialist, Enugu Field Office, UNICEF, Mrs Nkiru Maduechesi, said lack of infrastructure and basic facilities can hamper access to justice and other restorative services for children and consequently may constrain their development and ability to maximize their potentials in life.

    Read Also:Ethiopia’s parliament approves first female president

    He said the meeting was an important milestone in efforts aimed at strengthening the Child Protection System in the state through a well-equipped family courts that regulate the enforcement of the Child Rights Law in Cross River State.

    “UNICEF urges members of the Judiciary and other stakeholders to make significant contributions to the Family Court Rules with a view to improving the system for speedy settlement of cases through child-sensitive judicial processes capable of preventing and responding to violence against children effectively and reintegration of children in conflict with the law.

    “Your deliberations today would have far reaching effects in child justice reform efforts in the State.

    UNICEF as the agency mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote the rights of the children is committed in supporting partnerships and initiatives in this regard,” Conte said.

  • NGO appeals to Dankwambo to release funds for healthcare

    The Network for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Initiative (NMNCHI), an NGO, Gombe state has appealed to Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo to timely release of funds for better healthcare delivery in the state.

    The Chairman of the Network, Alhaji Alhassan Yahaya, who made the appeal at a news conference in Gombe on Wednesday, noted that timely release of fund would help to record better healthcare delivery in the state.

    He said Dankwambo approved N20 million out of the 2018 budget for Primary Healthcare Development for the purchase of drugs and other essential services for women and children.

    “At the same time, we commend the governor for another approval of N250 million for the support of counterpart funding to United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF),“he said.

    He said the state government also awarded contract for the purchase of six dialysis machines to Specialist Hospital Gombe, at a cost N253 million.

    “We are appealing to Gombe state governor to release funds for the purchase of drugs and essential commodities, N50 out of the N200 million approved for counterpart fund to UNICEF.“

    Read Also: NYSC: Educationist seeks end to age barrier

    According to Yahaya, the approval also include N253 million for the purchase of dialyses machines.

    The chairman said the approval of these funds apart; they had not been released.

    He said that a lot of people from the state had to travel to Bauchi state for dialyses weekly.

    Yahaya hoped that with the machines in the state, patients would find it easy to treat their ailments.

    He called on journalists to educate people on the issues that directly affected their health.

    The chairman assured of the willingness of the NGO to work with government and stakeholders, at all levels, to promote better healthcare services.

  • Kano partners UNICEF to tackle malnutrition

    Kano state government in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spent N350 Million last year, as intervention against malnutrition amongst children under five years, which UNICEF provided the same amount as marching fund.

    Another sum of N338 Million is also injected this year to counter the disturbing scourge of malnutrition in the state, of which UNICEF promises to also provide another marching fund for the same purpose.

    Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje stated this during an official launching of Kano State Comprehensive Modelling Project on Improvement of Diatery Diversity in the State .

    “We have all the kinds of food we need in our society for our consumption. All we need to do to run away from this health problem, is the knowledge of how to use such varieties. Which necessitates for awareness creation among our people,” he charged.

    A statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Abba Anwar said Ganduje urged stakeholders to put all hands on the deck to save the situation, emphasizing that, “Government is doing its best to continue liaising with all stakeholders, particularly traditional leaders, development partners and others, so as to checkmate the problem once and for all.”

    The governor acknowledges that, “This problem is with us, it is within us, it is a problem that we can solve and we must solve it. That is why we need to put heads and hands together and fight the painful scourge of malnutrition. All we need is commitment, persistence, public enlightenment and diligence.”

    Dangote Foundation according to the governor promised to provide over N1 Billion as intervention along that area of curbing malnutrition in the state.

    In her remarks the UNICEF Zonal Officer, Katsina, Miss Zohra Nissi, said the choice of Kano for the project was deliberate, looking at the efforts the state is making these years in curbing the disease.

    She added “This is a unique project which we are starting in Kano. As such the choice of Kano is deliberate. We choose Kano also because of the commitment of the state.”

    Nissi revealed that, “We need multi-sectoral approach in dealing with this problem. The sum injected in this project is $750,000. We will provide all the necessary technical support for the project.”

    The project started with Bichi and Sumaila as pilot local governments, which included traditional leaders who come from the areas. It was revealed that they started with the two local governments after sometime all other local governments would be included.

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    Dr Kabiru Ibrahim Getso, the state commissioner of health said that, “Malnutrition is a serious health challenge in developing countries. According to recent study stunting is in the increase. Which calls for serious action against it.”

    He listed some efforts being put by the state government in curbing the problem. “That we did a special week programme recently, in which we included malnutrition screening. To tell you how serious we are in dealing with the problem.”