The Zamfara state government says it has made a long-term plan towards the implementation of the Child’s Rights Protection Bill in the state.
The State Commissioner for Women, Children, and Social Development, Dr Nafisa Maradun said this while declaring open a five-day workshop currently ongoing in Kaduna.
The workshop on the Child Protection Law Implementation Strategy was organised by the state Ministry of Women, children, and Social Development, in collaboration with the United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF).
She said that the workshop was meant to draft the implementation strategy plan for the State Child Protection Law, and inaugurate the State Implementation Committee and their terms of reference.
“It will also identify the resources and infrastructure required for proper legislation, and implementation, as well as identifying key areas of child protection legislation for better comprehension and improving the inter sectoral collaboration among relevant stakeholders in the state,” she said.
The commissioner commended UNICEF for supporting the state government in developing the implementation strategy for the child protection law.
Maradun called on participants at the workshop to contribute significantly by brainstorming and making use of what they learned during the conference.
In his remarks, the Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF, Sokoto Field Office, Mr Pius Nwamanua said Zamfara should be pleased to be part of the process of developing and implementing a plan for the state child protection law.
He said that UNICEF had been at the forefront in the promotion and improving the total well-being of children in Zamfara state.
He said the Implantation plan would spell out the roles of different Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in providing services for children in the State.
“We implore all stakeholders to collaborate for a fruitful deliberation and internationally acceptable plan,” Nwamanua advised.
In 2022, the then governor of Zamfara, Bello Muhammed signed into law the Child Protection Bill passed by the State House of Assembly.
NAN