The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs Hajia Imaan Suliaman-Ibrahim, fsi has made a Clarion Call to Strengthen Commitment and Accountability for the Nigerian Child. She made this effort when the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs joined the African Union and Member States to commemorate the 2025 Day of the African Child, which is celebrated every year on June 16th. This year’s theme, “Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010,” offers a critical opportunity to reflect on the commitments made to children’s welfare, assess the progress achieved, and recommit to action that guarantees the rights, safety, and full development of every child in Nigeria, Sulaiman stated.
The Honourable Minister also remarked that the Theme for this year’s Commemoration of the Day of the African Child urges all African governments, including Nigeria, to critically assess how the country’s budget has responded and impacted on children’s needs and aspirations since the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child was domesticated. The theme further creates a platform and serves as a wake-up call to all stakeholders to embed children’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation as paramount consideration in budgeting and policy formulation and implementation.
According to Honorable Imaan, The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has made significant progress in the area of children’s rights since 2010 in the domestication of the Child Rights Act in 36 States and FCT; increased advocacy and intervention in girl-child education and protection; National Social Investment Programmes that include school feeding and cash transfers to vulnerable families; Strengthening legal frameworks against Harmful Traditional Practices, development and review of Policy documents aimed at promoting and protecting the Rights of the Child. She said, “Even with the above progress made, let me admit that significant gaps still exist in planning and financing for child-focused programmes as children in underserved communities, hard to reach areas/communities still lack access to basic education, healthcare, nutrition, and protection services.”
Hajia Sulaiman further speaking, remarked that In the spirit of the commemoration and in line with the theme, she calls on all stakeholders to ensure improved data collection, disaggregated/child friendly budgeting and sustained inter-ministerial collaboration to ensure that the rights of the Child is protected. She urged all levels of government to allocate adequate resources to programmes that directly impact children’s lives particularly in Health, Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Education, Protection, and Early Childhood Development.
She stated that, as Nigeria commemorates this important day, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs remains committed to ensuring that all Nigerian children enjoy the full rights guaranteed under the law.
Signed
EmemMaria Offiong anipr
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