Rising insecurity threatening children's future — UNICEF, NGE, DAME

*Urge FG to declare child welfare emergency

STAKEHOLDERS at a UNICEF-Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, and DAME symposium, have warned that Nigeria's worsening child welfare indicators require urgent action, citing widening disparities in access to water, education, health, and protection.

At the symposium, which featured representatives from UNICEF, government ministries, media executives, and civil society, they all agreed that Nigeria must accelerate reforms to protect children amid rising insecurity and declining social services.

Speaking, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, Mr Eze Anaba, said Nigeria is in a "state of emergency" over the worsening conditions affecting children, citing rising insecurity, school disruptions, and weak health and education outcomes.

Anaba said: "If we did not know before, we should know now. At no other time in our history, except during the Civil War, has the condition of our children been this uncertain. The bloodshed has been relentless.

"Nigeria is home to more than 220 million people, half of whom are children. What happens to our children happens to Nigeria.

He warned that Nigeria now has the world's highest number of out-of-school children and called on journalists to prioritise evidence-based reporting on child rights and protection issues.

He said: "These are not mere statistics. They are the lived experiences of children whose dreams and our country's future are being derailed."

Calling on the media, he said: "The media is not a passive observer. It is an active participant in shaping public consciousness. We must amplify the voices of the voiceless, use verifiable data, and embrace solution-based investigative journalism."

He condemned indiscriminate school closures following isolated attacks, saying, "Even some governments shut down schools without knowing why. This is unacceptable."

Anaba urged stronger collaboration among media, civil society, UNICEF, and the government, and concluded with a personal commitment:

"As long as I remain an editor, I will continue to advocate for the rights and protection of Nigerian children. We must protect our children."

Also speaking, UNICEF Nigeria Representative Ms. Wafa Saeed said millions of children remain unvaccinated and face acute malnutrition, while three out of four 10-year-olds are unable to read and understand a simple text. 

She stressed the need for full implementation of the Safe School Declaration.

Saeed said: "Nigeria has made progress for children over the last two decades, but at the current pace, it will take far too long to reach acceptable results. We must accelerate efforts-too many children are still being left behind.

"What encourages me is that we know what works: routine immunisation, quality education, nutrition, and protection. When we invest in these areas, we save lives and build the foundation for a stronger future for every Nigerian child."

Similarly, the Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lagos, Mr Michel Deelen, said many Nigerian schools lack roofs, water, sanitation facilities, and teachers, describing the situation as unacceptable. 

Reaffirming the Netherlands' support for UNICEF, Deelen said: "As long as schools are not functioning the way they should without roofs, water, and teachers cannot say things are getting better. Education is the engine of national progress, and it must work everywhere in Nigeria.

"The future is bright because the Nigerian child is brilliant and full of potential. Our responsibility, working with UNICEF and the government, is to help create the environment where that potential can truly flourish."

On his part, Chairman of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence, DAME, Mr Lanre Idowu, said the Nigerian child remains vulnerable despite progress.

Idowu said: "The Nigerian child is vulnerable but unstoppable. Our collective responsibility is to safeguard their today so their tomorrow is secured.

"The media must move beyond episodic reporting. We need deeper analysis, human-centred storytelling, and journalism that drives solutions, not just headlines."

Speaking during the panel session moderated by Dr Chinonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko doctor, which examined Nigeria's child-rights challenges and possible solutions, UNICEF Deputy Country Representative, Ms. Ronak Nkan, said UNICEF allocates resources strictly based on evidence, noting Nigeria's wide regional disparities. 

Nkan said: "We invest where the data tells us children are most deprived. A child in Kebbi or Maiduguri deserves the same chance as a child in Lagos, and evidence guides us toward those who need support the most.

"None of us chose where we were born, and no child should suffer because of geography. Our work focuses on ensuring that every Nigerian child can reach their full potential today, not just in the future. UNICEF focuses heavily on northern states due to higher deprivation levels but also works in the south through policy and technical support."

 Where we invest depends on what the data tells us."

In his submission, the Deputy Director at the Federal Ministry of Women's Affairs, Mrs Mariam Fitumi Shaibu, outlined government programmes targeting out-of-school children, including the National Commission for Out-of-School Children, the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), and the Lumina Project, which links women's economic empowerment to girls' school enrolment.

She also announced a National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene, currently before the Federal Executive Council, to reduce absenteeism among girls due to a lack of water, toilets, and private changing facilities. 

The Director of Public Communication at the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr Henshaw Ogubuike, said the Ministry of Information has intensified nationwide sensitisation campaigns on child rights and safety. 

He said the ministry leverages its state offices and federal information centres to counter misinformation and promote child protection messages.

A member of the NGE, Mr Ehi Braimah, urged government and development partners to prioritise safe schools, healthcare access, and protection services. 

He warned that over 800 schools have been shut in parts of the north due to insecurity and criticised states yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act. 

He said media organisations must interrogate policy implementation, not just policies on paper.

Another NGE member, Mrs Ijeoma Popoola, said the media must also highlight the role of parenting, warning that harmful practices persist at home despite laws. She urged parents to be more intentional about guiding and protecting children.

UNICEF youth advocate, Master, Tinafi Akau urged policymakers to adopt technological solutions for school safety, including AI-driven early-warning systems to prevent kidnappings, and called for government-funded digital training for vulnerable children.

"The reality our children face today, from flooded schools to relentless insecurity, is truly alarming. But technology gives us a real chance to change this story, if we are bold enough to use it.

"Imagine an AI-powered security system that flags kidnapping risks before they happen or digital tools that ensure every child in Nigeria, no matter where they live, can learn and innovate. With the right policies and support, the Nigerian child can be unstoppable."

Culled from Vanguard