EU, UNICEF Partner with Sokoto Government to Protect Children’s Rights and Strengthen Social Protection Systems

By Abdullahi Tukur Birnin Kebbi | The Bureau News

BIRNIN KEBBI — Nigeria News Today: The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have pledged continued support to the Sokoto State Government in protecting the rights of children and strengthening the state’s social protection systems.

The initiative, part of the EU Sustainable and Innovative Social Protection Project implemented by UNICEF’s Sokoto Field Office, seeks to transform the state’s social protection system into a shock-responsive and inclusive mechanism, anchored in a reinforced policy framework and integrated financial planning within state and local government budgets.

UNICEF Reaffirms Commitment to Child Protection

Speaking at a capacity-building workshop for the 23 Local Government Chairmen of Sokoto State held in Birnin Kebbi, the Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Sokoto, Mr. Michael Juma, emphasized UNICEF’s mandate to advocate and uphold the rights of every child.

He said: “UNICEF’s focus is on protecting children and supporting the government to strengthen child-sensitive and sustainable social protection systems aimed at reducing child poverty and ensuring equal access to basic services.”

According to him, the project’s broader goal is to ensure that more people in Sokoto have access to social protection and resilience programs, particularly the poor and vulnerable groups.

State Government Commends EU, UNICEF

Declaring the workshop open, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Abubakar Muhammad Zayyana, commended both the EU and UNICEF for their technical and financial support toward operationalizing social protection initiatives across Sokoto State’s 23 LGAs.

He conveyed the appreciation of Governor Dr. Ahmad Aliyu Zayyana to the development partners for their sustained programs aimed at improving the welfare of women, children, and the vulnerable population. He assured that the state remains committed to implementing the initiative in line with its six-point SMART development agenda.

“Social protection is a critical tool to prevent insecurity and crime. I have seen how effective such systems are in developed countries like the United Kingdom, where programs such as universal child benefits and unemployment allowances directly improve the lives of citizens,” Dr. Zayyana said.

Call for Local Government Commitment

He urged Local Government Chairmen to prioritize social protection in their annual budgets to tackle poverty and vulnerability, citing the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports and the Multidimensional Poverty Index which placed Sokoto among the states with the highest poverty rates in Nigeria.

He also noted that the governor had approved a state-owned multidimensional poverty survey to generate data that will guide effective budget planning and implementation across the state.

ALGON Backs the Initiative

The Chairman of Tambuwal Local Government and State ALGON Chairman, Hon. Bashir Salihu, described the program as one of the most effective ways to address economic hardship caused by low income and limited access to basic services.

He confirmed that all 23 LGAs in the state are committed to mainstreaming social protection into their development plans and budgets for the next fiscal year, including forming technical working groups and appointing social protection desk officers across the councils.

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