The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on the federal and state governments to reinforce the protection mechanism of all children in the country.
UNICEF’s Country Director, Peter Hawkins, made the call in a statement issued in Kaduna on Thursday to commemorate Nigerian Children’s Day.
Hawkins said that this year’s celebration comes at a challenging moment for child rights in the country and the world, with COVID-19 pandemic threatening gains made for children’s development.
He commended the efforts of the Nigerian government at all levels to protect education, health and other critical services in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children.
Hawkins, however, noted the rising poverty and inequality, and the pandemic has often disrupted the essential services that secure the health, education and protection of children and young people.
He pointed out that the pandemic was threatening decades of progress made for children.
Hawkins added that violence was perpetrated against one in four Nigerian children, adding that one in three Nigerian girls were sexually abused.
“This has only increased during the pandemic and the longer the pandemic goes on, the more intense the impact on women and children,” he said.
Hawkins noted that Nigerian children were resilient, talented and aspire to do great things.
According to him, the Nigerian government and its partners have a responsibility to give children the needed platform and encouragement to reach their potentials in life.
“We know that protecting children and investing in women and families is not only the right thing to do but has proven to be a sound economic choice and a cost-effective tool for national development.
“As we celebrate our children today, we must act in their best interests and deploy innovative solutions to fast-track learning and health services for every Nigerian child.
“It has been a challenging year for us all with the COVID-19 pandemic – not least of all, Nigeria’s children.
“We must all work toward ensuring that all children continue to access education, health and nutrition services, and protection against any form of violence, irrespective of their situation, location, or the pandemic,” he said.
