The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UNICEF

  • UNICEF, NGE, DAME hold dialogue on safeguarding Nigerian child

    UNICEF, NGE, DAME hold dialogue on safeguarding Nigerian child

    The media partnership of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Diamond Awards for Media Excellence, and UNICEF will host a one-day symposium on Tuesday at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

    The meeting will bring together media leaders, policymakers, and child-rights advocates to examine Nigeria’s readiness to secure the future of its children.

    The event, themed “Equipping the Nigerian Child for the Future: How Prepared Are We?”, comes at a time when millions of children across the country face increasing risks in education, nutrition, health, safety and climate-related emergencies.

    READ ALSO: Only Nigerians can save the country, not Trump – Ex-Foreign Affairs Minister

    Recent incidents,including attacks on schools, rising child malnutrition, and continued displacement caused by conflict and flooding, have underscored the urgent need to expand access to quality education, strengthen child protection systems, and ensure adequate health and nutrition services.

    During the symposium, participants will discuss practical solutions for improving safe learning environments, enhancing welfare and protection systems, building climate resilience for children, and advancing ethical, child-focused media reporting.

    UNICEF representatives note that children continue to bear the greatest burden of insecurity and poverty despite contributing the least to the crises affecting them. The organisers express hope that the dialogue will inspire stronger partnerships, evidence-based policymaking and increased national commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child has the opportunity to thrive.

  • Kaduna reaffirms commitment to child rights as UNICEF reports Record 18.3m out-of-school children

    Kaduna reaffirms commitment to child rights as UNICEF reports Record 18.3m out-of-school children

    The Kaduna State Government has restated its commitment to promoting and protecting child rights as UNICEF revealed that Nigeria now has 18.3 million out-of-school children—the highest figure ever recorded.

    The statistics were released during the 2025 World Children’s Day celebration in Kaduna, jointly organised by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development and UNICEF, under the theme “My Day, My Rights.”

    UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kaduna, Dr. Gerida Birukila, said the surge in out-of-school children—10.2 million at the primary level and 8.1 million at the secondary level—reflects worsening inequality, insecurity, and poverty.

    She noted that 73 per cent of children aged 7–14 cannot read a simple sentence, while 75 per cent cannot solve basic maths problems.

    READ ALSO; Senate seeks fresh solutions to rising insecurity

    Birukila further highlighted alarming child wellbeing indicators: nearly half of Nigerian children live in income poverty, 70 per cent of households lack access to safe drinking water, 40 per cent of children under five are stunted, and 90 per cent have experienced violence. She stressed that addressing these issues requires strong political will and child-centred policies.

    Kaduna State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Rabi Salisu, said Governor Uba Sani’s administration is implementing targeted programmes to strengthen child protection systems, expand access to quality education, enhance welfare services, support children with disabilities, and improve nutrition and early childhood development.

    She described World Children’s Day as a renewed call to build “a society where every child can survive, thrive, learn and be heard.”

    Also speaking, Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, said the state has reopened more than 500 schools previously shut due to insecurity, following significant improvements achieved through Kaduna’s peace model. He added that the participation of public school pupils at the event demonstrates renewed confidence in the education system.

    Maiyaki urged journalists to prioritise accurate reporting and budget tracking on child-rights issues, noting that UNICEF’s statistics—showing that 70–80 per cent of out-of-school children are in northern Nigeria—should drive stronger accountability among stakeholders.

    The event featured presentations by pupils from various public schools, who voiced hopes for improved learning conditions, safer communities, and better opportunities for Nigerian children.

  • UNICEF, IWEI to return 1,500 out-of-school children to classrooms in Jigawa

    UNICEF, IWEI to return 1,500 out-of-school children to classrooms in Jigawa

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative (IWEI) and the Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), is set to return about 1,500 out-of-school children to classrooms across Jigawa State.

    Executive Director of IWEI, Hajiya Amina Hanga, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the close-out event of the Building Community Power to End Harmful Practices project held at the Ahmadu Bello Hall, Jigawa State Secretariat, Dutse.

    Hanga said UNICEF and IWEI had concluded arrangements to reintegrate a significant number of project participants, most of whom are out-of-school children. She explained that the project, implemented across Jigawa and Katsina states, covered eight communities in four local government areas in Jigawa.

    As part of the initiative, IWEI and UNICEF worked closely with SUBEB to finalise all preparations for the children’s re-enrolment at appropriate class levels to ensure continuity in their education.

    Hanga noted that IWEI—established in 2009 as a non-governmental, non-profit organisation—focuses on equipping young women and girls with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to achieve financial independence and contribute meaningfully to society.

    “In collaboration with UNICEF, IWEI executed the Building Community Power to End Harmful Practices (Child Marriage) project in Jigawa State,” she said.

    She revealed that the first phase of the project, conducted between January and June 2025, reached 1,500 out-of-school girls, while the second phase, implemented from August to November 2025, introduced Gender Transformative Positive Parenting (GTP) sessions that engaged 1,200 parents—60 per cent male and 40 per cent female.

    According to her, the GTP sessions promoted positive parenting, strengthened gender-equitable decision-making, and expanded family support for girls’ education and empowerment.

    She added that the project also improved the well-being of 500 adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 across Dutse, Birnin Kudu, Jahun, and Kiyawa local government areas, giving beneficiaries access to vocational skills, financial inclusion schemes, and enhanced economic opportunities. Communities also recorded increased commitment to ending harmful practices, including child marriage.

  • School attack: UNICEF calls for stronger child protection

    School attack: UNICEF calls for stronger child protection

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has condemned the deadly attack on a Government Girls School in the Maga community of Kebbi State, calling for stronger protection measures for children, schools, and education personnel across Nigeria.

    In a statement issued to the Nation by Sussan Akila, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Nigeria, the agency described the incident— which led to the killing of the school’s vice-principal and the reported abduction of 25 students— as “deeply tragic” and unacceptable.

    “UNICEF strongly condemns the reported attack on a Government Girls School in the Maga community of Kebbi State in Northwest Nigeria, which resulted in the death of the school’s vice-principal and the reported abduction of 25 students,” the statement said.

    UNICEF urged the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted students while stressing the urgent need to reinforce the protection of learning environments.

    “This tragic incident is yet another stark reminder of the urgent need to protect children, schools, and the personnel they rely upon to learn safely,” Akila noted. “We stand with the affected community at this difficult time. Our heartfelt condolences go to those who have lost their loved ones, and we wish a full recovery for those injured.”

    The agency emphasized that students, schools, and education workers are protected under international law and insisted that perpetrators of such attacks must be held accountable.

    Akila recalled that Nigeria endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration in 2015— an international commitment outlining steps to preserve the civilian nature of schools and ensure safe access to education even in conflict situations.

    According to UNICEF, the organisation continues to work with government partners, civil society, and communities to strengthen child protection systems and promote safe and inclusive learning environments nationwide.

    “These systems and environments must be reinforced to prevent future tragedies,” the statement added.

    UNICEF further called on all stakeholders to intensify efforts toward full implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, stressing that “No child should be put at risk while pursuing an education.”

  • UNICEF, FG urge media to champion fight against neglected tropical diseases

    UNICEF, FG urge media to champion fight against neglected tropical diseases

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on journalists and media organisations across Nigeria to take the lead in promoting behavioural change towards the elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) nationwide.

    The UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Bauchi, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, made the call during a Media Dialogue on Neglected Tropical Disease Elimination held on Thursday in Bauchi State.

    Rafique identified poverty, poor sanitation, and limited access to clean water as major factors driving the spread of NTDs.

     She stressed the need for communities to embrace cleaner and healthier lifestyles to break the cycle of disease and poverty.

    “Poverty is a vicious cycle of ill health and deprivation. When people live in unclean environments, they are more likely to fall sick. Illness limits productivity and deepens poverty,” she said.

    She noted that these diseases have far-reaching effects on children’s growth, development, and productivity, adding that improved hygiene and sanitation are essential to breaking transmission.

    Rafique urged the government and communities to invest in safe water systems, proper waste management, and household cleanliness.

    “We need to strengthen our health system and prioritise WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) interventions. The media serves as the eyes, ears, and voice of society — you can raise awareness, shape behaviour, and change lives. Behavioural change is not easy, but the media plays a powerful role in achieving it,” she stated.

    She further warned against open defecation and the consumption of unsafe water, noting that polluted rivers expose residents to diseases like River Blindness and other vector-borne infections.

    “When we control flies and mosquitoes, we prevent illnesses such as malaria and dengue. Clean water, proper sanitation, and timely health-seeking practices are crucial in preventing these diseases,” she added.

    Read Also: Wike-Officer face off: Irabor faults minister over verbal exchange

    Also speaking, the North-East Zonal Coordinator of the NTD Control Programme under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Hauwa Abubakar, described NTDs as “diseases of poverty” that continue to pose major public health challenges, especially in rural areas.

    “NTDs are preventable and curable diseases that mostly affect the poor and rural dwellers. They cause disability, deformity, and even death when untreated,” she explained.

    She appealed to the media to amplify public awareness campaigns with accurate information on the prevention and control of NTDs, noting that sensitisation remains one of the most effective ways to reduce their burden in Nigeria.

    Nation reports that the media dialogue brought together health experts, communication specialists, and journalists to strengthen collaboration toward eliminating NTDs and improving community health outcomes in Bauchi State and beyond.

  • Nigeria, EU, UNICEF partner on €6.3m project to boost local health commodity production

    Nigeria, EU, UNICEF partner on €6.3m project to boost local health commodity production

    The federal government has entered into a new partnership with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for local production of vaccines, medicines, and nutrition commodities.

    The two-year initiative, Enabling Local Manufacturing of Health, Immunisation and Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria (ELM-N), is part of the EU’s Global Gateway Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (MAV+) programme, valued at €6.3 million, with the EU contributing €5.5 million and Spain providing an additional €800,000.

    The agreement, which was formalised at the Nigeria-EU Health Investment Forum in Abuja, seeks to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported health products by enhancing local manufacturing, improving supply-chain efficiency, strengthening regulatory systems, and fostering technology transfer and innovation.

    The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, described the initiative as a major step in Nigeria’s plan to build a stronger, more competitive pharmaceutical sector and attract sustainable investment.

    “This partnership demonstrates our commitment to aligning investments with clear policy priorities and measurable outcomes. 

    “It will expand opportunities for local production, facility financing, and technology transfer, positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for health innovation, research, and development,” Bagudu said.

    EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, who represented Team Europe, said the Global Gateway strategy aims to transition partnerships from aid-based support to strategic, investment-driven collaboration.

    “Through MAV+, we are supporting manufacturers, governments, academic institutions, and other key stakeholders in advancing local production. 

    “This represents a shift toward peer-to-peer partnerships between Europe and West Africa,” Mignot said.

    Additionally, Spain’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Félix Costales Artieda, noted that the collaboration would not only advance local manufacturing but also enhance equitable access to essential health commodities across the ECOWAS subregion.

    “This project marks an important milestone in unlocking Nigeria’s healthcare value chain and boosting health security,” he said.

    Representing the United Nations (UN) system, UNICEF’s Representative to Nigeria, Wafaa Abdelate, who spoke on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator, highlighted that local production remains vital to achieving universal access to life-saving health products.

    She noted that Nigeria still has more than two million zero-dose children and faces significant maternal health challenges. 

    “It is urgent that investments like this translate into timely, affordable, and safe access to vaccines, medicines, and nutrition products for all Nigerians,” Abdelate added.

    According to the project’s framework, ELM-N will focus on strengthening Nigeria’s health commodity supply chain, promoting innovation in pharmaceutical production, and supporting regulatory harmonisation.

    It will also complement ongoing national reforms aimed at revitalising the local pharmaceutical industry and align with broader EU and multilateral efforts in reproductive, maternal, and child health as well as digital health development.

    Implementation is expected to commence immediately, with stakeholders set to identify potential manufacturers, assess investment needs, and deploy technical assistance to accelerate local production and distribution of essential health commodities.

  • FG, UNICEF urge media practitioners on ethical journalism, children’s rights protection

    FG, UNICEF urge media practitioners on ethical journalism, children’s rights protection

    The Federal Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have urged media practitioners to always engage in ethical reporting towards respecting and protecting children’s rights.

    This advice was given during a recent two-day training on ethical reporting of select journalists from Southwest, Southsouth zones and Abuja, held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    In her remarks, the UNICEF Chief of the Lagos Field Office, Mrs. Celine Lafoucriere, highlighted the role of journalists in advocating for children’s rights and underscored a critical responsibility for media practitioners.

    Lafoucriere emphasised the importance of ethical journalism, highlighting that it is both a professional and moral obligation to protect children’s dignity.

    She, therefore, called on the journalists to be the voices of children rather than mere advocates for governmental interests, reflecting a shift towards prioritising the needs and rights of vulnerable populations.

    Read Also: Final Trumpet Call: Nigeria bids farewell to titan of integrity, Christopher Kolade

    She said this initiative by UNICEF aimed to empower journalists to engage more deeply with issues affecting children, reinforcing the idea that their voices should be front and centre in societal discourse.

    “Ethics is not just about following newsroom rules; it is about humanity. When we report on children, we must do so with compassion, sensitivity and respect for their privacy and rights.”

    The UNICEF Chief stressed that journalists have a vital role in building a society where children are protected.

    “The way we tell their stories can either harm or heal them. Ethical reporting means protecting their identities and giving them a safe space to be heard.”

    Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Ogbodo Chinasa Nnam, maintained that journalists wield immense influence in shaping public perception and attitudes toward children.

  • ILO, UNICEF collaborate to strengthen social protection systems

    ILO, UNICEF collaborate to strengthen social protection systems

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have partnered to strengthen social protection systems in Nigeria.

    The partnership will be executed through the Supporting Sustainable Social Protection Systems in Nigeria (SUSI) project.

    Country Director of the ILO Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Dr. Vanessa Phala said this at the opening of a two-day capacity-building workshop for policymakers on Thursday in Abuja.

    She said the project aims to expand access to social protection, particularly for vulnerable populations and those affected by economic shocks.

    Phala said: “As an international labour organisation, we are honoured and pleased to partner with our sister agency, UNICEF, to implement this very important and laudable project that supports sustainable social protection systems in Nigeria.”

    She explained that the SUSI project aligns with Nigeria’s national development priorities, the ILO Decent Work Country Programme, and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

    According to her, the training will equip policymakers with the technical knowledge to design, implement and monitor effective social protection interventions.

    Read Also: The Nigerian state as ‘a country without countrymen’? (1)

    Phala said: “The project responds to the decent work agenda, where social protection remains a core component of national development, and also fits into the government’s Renewed Hope agenda.

     “The main reason we are here is to ensure that the policymakers responsible for developing and implementing social protection programmes are doing so from a well-informed and competitive point of view.”

    Phala emphasised that the training seeks to build a network of “social protection champions” across federal and state levels.

    “We want to make sure that we build a cohort of social protection champions who will hold hands together to strengthen, expand and extend protection to many vulnerable people in Nigeria,” she said.

    She said the ILO and UNICEF aimed to drive innovation, sustainability, and coordination among ministries and agencies working on social protection.

    “It is critical that we bring our efforts together to have an impactful intervention and see tangible results on the ground,” she said.

  • UNICEF: 20 Million Females in Nigeria Affected by Female Genital Mutilation

    UNICEF: 20 Million Females in Nigeria Affected by Female Genital Mutilation

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that no fewer than 20 million females in Nigeria have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), despite the practice being outlawed in the country.

    Speaking at a media dialogue on Wednesday, Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, stressed the urgent need to end FGM, warning that it poses serious health risks to girls and women.

    She noted that the harmful practice continues in many states, driven by myths and cultural traditions.

    According to UNICEF, Nigeria ranks third globally in FGM prevalence. The organization emphasized that the procedure has no health benefits but exposes victims to grave dangers, calling for stronger community mobilization and stakeholder engagement to curb the trend.

    Lafoucriere said, “Your presence here shows that ending FGM is urgent and achievable. Nearly 20 million women and girls in Nigeria have undergone FGM. 

    “It’s the third highest globally. Most of them were cut before their fifth birthday, when they are completely powerless, when they can’t consent, reject or understand what is happening. Despite being outlawed in Nigeria, the practice continues in many states. It continues by myth and tradition.”

    It called on stakeholders to support the total abandonment of the harmful tradition, saying, cutting a girl child denies her autonomy and subjects her to violence, hence the need to eliminate FGM entirely.

    Also speaking, the Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Lagos Office, Dennis Onoise, disclosed that Nigeria is the third biggest country in the world that practices FGM.

    “FGM has no health benefit. It will not stop promiscuity. It would deny a lady the full benefit of her body. It can lead to medical complications. If the cutting is not properly done, it would affect urine, which is dangerous. It is a gender-based violence. Many communities are into it. If we continue to mobilise people, there would be more reduction”, she said.

    Read Also: Oyo govt, UNICEF team up to end open defecation by 2028

    He, therefore, sought the support of all stakeholders to stop the practice, saying, “we are asking for the total abandonment of this practice,’’ he said.

    In her remarks, FGM consultant, Mrs Aderonke Olutayo, maintained that by cutting the girl child, “you have rendered the woman powerful and violent. It is a harmful traditional practice.”

    Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Oyo State, Mr Rotimi Babalola, urged the media to intensify their support in reporting issues aimed at putting an end to the harmful practice.

    Babalola said, “Today, it’s about the critical stakeholders here, the media. Because we are the people who set the agenda for society to follow. So we are very critical of this FGM elimination campaign. I will just appeal that we need to put extra effort into this campaign, so that in all the seven states in the UNICEF office, we totally eliminate FGM.”

  • Oyo govt, UNICEF team up to end open defecation by 2028

    Oyo govt, UNICEF team up to end open defecation by 2028

    Oyo state government, through the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening policies, institutional frameworks, and capacity building to accelerate access to inclusive and sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services across the state.

    The commitment was renewed at a one-day roundtable on the Oyo State Open Defecation Free (ODF) and WASH Campaign, organized by the Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) in partnership with UNICEF, held at the Ibadan Business School, Old Bodija, Ibadan.

    Speaking at the event, the Head of Service, Mrs. Olubunmi Oni, represented by Mrs. Adebukola Akinwale, stressed that access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene is not just a social service but a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of sustainable development.

    Read Also: UNICEF targets 2.3 million children in polio vaccination campaign in Katsina

    “The health, dignity, and productivity of our people are directly linked to the availability and sustainability of WASH services. It is our collective responsibility, government, development partners, the private sector, civil society, and communities, to build an inclusive system that leaves no one behind,” she said.

    In his remarks, the chairman of RUWASSA, Babalola Afobaje, raised concern over the high rate of open defecation in Oyo State, noting that according to the 2021 WASHNORM report, 53.7% of the state’s population still engages in open defecation while only 29.2% have access to basic sanitation services.

    He described the practice as a public health crisis driving recurring outbreaks of cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid, particularly among children.

    He, however, reaffirmed that Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, in partnership with UNICEF, is determined to eliminate open defecation in all 33 LGAs of Oyo State by 2028.

    He also listed ongoing interventions, including the rehabilitation and drilling of boreholes, the construction of solar-powered water facilities, and the provision of sanitation facilities in public institutions across the state.

    On her part, UNICEF WASH Manager, Abuja, Mrs. Jolly Ann Maulit, presented a paper on “Unlocking the Potential of the Sanitation Economy.”

    In the paper, she emphasised the importance of private sector partnerships in bridging the huge sanitation financing gap in Nigeria, highlighting opportunities in the toilet economy, circular sanitation economy (recycling waste into biogas, fertilizer, and clean water), and smart sanitation economy (technology-driven sanitation services).

    Other speakers, including UNICEF WASH Specialist, Lagos Field Office, Mr. Monday Johnson, and Sanitation Marketing Facilitator, Mr. Abdulsalam, urged private sector actors, financial institutions, and NGOs to play active roles in scaling up sanitation solutions, stressing that Oyo cannot achieve its ODF target without their involvement.

    The roundtable ended with a strong call to action for all stakeholders to work together in building a healthier, safer, and cleaner Oyo State where every household has access to clean water, safe sanitation, and good hygiene practices by 2028.