UNICEF Pledges Continued Support for Children’s Welfare in Bauchi and Plateau States.

By Uzairu Dauda Bunga:

The UNICEF Bauchi Field Office has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the governments of Bauchi and Plateau States in enhancing services for children.

This was stated by the Chief UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, during the 2024 Annual Review and 2025–2027 Workplan Consultations held in collaboration with the Bauchi State Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning, and Multilateral Coordination in Bauchi.

Dr. Rafique emphasized UNICEF’s global mission to improve the lives and ensure the protection of children.

Highlighting Nigeria as her first country of assignment, she acknowledged the immense need for UNICEF’s support, given the large population of children in the country, called on stakeholders across sectors such as health, education, water resources, and information to prioritize the welfare of children, especially the most vulnerable.

“Ensuring children enjoy their basic rights is not just work—it is a mission. Every child and mother must be reached,” Dr. Rafique stated, urging stakeholders to collaborate and champion the cause of children’s rights.

Declaring the Consultation meeting opened, the Commissioner of the Bauchi State Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning, and Multilateral Coordination, Alhaji Aminu Hammayo, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Jibrin Muhammad Yusuf, praised UNICEF for its consistent contributions to advancing children’s rights in Bauchi State.

Hammayo noted that the review and planning meetings were timely, as the 2025 Bauchi State budget was recently submitted to the State House of Assembly, stated that the outcomes of these consultations would inform adjustments to ensure the budget addresses the needs of children.

He further assured that the Bauchi State Government would continue its support for UNICEF and other development partners to address challenges facing children and women.

He highlighted the government’s prompt payment of counterpart obligations as a demonstration of its commitment.

In his presentation, the Social Specialist at UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Yusuf Auta, outlined factors impacting child outcomes in the region, these include conflict and insurgency, climate change, limited access to education and healthcare, poor infrastructure, economic challenges, and governance issues.

Dr. Auta urged implementing partners to consider recent changes in Bauchi State’s program landscape, such as the establishment of the Open Government Partnership, the launch of an action plan, and the restructuring of local government systems.

These changes, he said, should guide planning efforts to improve children’s access to nutrition, education, healthcare, and water.

He also highlighted UNICEF’s 2024 achievements in Bauchi and Plateau States, including capacity-building for budget officers in child-responsive policy analysis, support for over 6,000 vulnerable households under the state’s social protection policy, and the finalization of Bauchi State’s Social Protection Policy.

In his presentation the UNICEF Health Officer, Bauchi Field office, Mr Oluseyi Olosunde said in the year 2024 UNICEF introduced the “Father for Good Health” initiative aimed at improving maternal and child health at the community level.

He identified critical challenges to progress, such as government policy changes, disease outbreaks like diphtheria, Lassa fever, and cholera, and cultural attitudes.

Olosunde urged Bauchi State to replicate Plateau State’s success by establishing a task force to address non-compliance with immunization, reducing the zero-dose burden in children.

In his goodwill message, the Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Raymond Juryit, represented by the Director Disease Control and immunization of the board Dr. Yakubu Dauda Izang, shared Plateau State’s efforts to improve child welfare to include the proposal to employ additional over 1,000 new health workers in the 2025 state budget and the state already established a task force to address immunization non-compliance.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment among stakeholders to prioritize children’s rights and welfare, ensuring their inclusion in policies and programs for a brighter future.