UNICEF tasks Northern states on polio, girl-child education

Posted by admin Headlines, North-Central, North-East, North-West Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

THE United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Deputy Representative, Mr Jacques Boyer, has stressed the need for traditional and religious leaders in the 10 Northern states of Nigeria, to mobilise and educate their subjects on the need to tackle polio, girl-child education and child protection in their respective areas.

This is just as he said that the recent data released by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development , showed that 17.5 million children were vulnerable in Nigeria

Mr boyer made the call on Tuesday, in Kano, at a high level advocacy meeting with religious and traditional leaders from the 10 Northern states, a programme which was supported by UNICEF D-Field office, Bauchi.

According to him, the 10 states were, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kaduna , Plateau, Yobe, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Borno and Taraba states.

His words: “Over the years, religious and traditional leaders, besides state governments, have to be very important partners that have significantly contributed to improving the lives of children ad women in this part of Nigeria.”

He added that the gender access differential was caused by many factors, including preference for boy-child education , often owing to the fact that investing in girls’ education produced lower dividends .

Mr Boyer, however, noted that many challenges seemed to undermine the progress made, particularly in the area of polio eradication , girls’education and child protection.

He stated that in 2010, polio cases in Nigeria dropped to 21, from a staggering load of 338 cases in 2009, saying that this year, as of this month, 20 cases of wild polio virus were reported in six states compared to six cases in four states.

Mr Boyer, who also said that, despite the introduction of new child –friendly policies by the federal and state governments, the issue of girls’ access to basic education was still a major concern, particularly in the 10 states covered by UNICEF ‘D’ Field office’

“Our children need us even more during emergences, when the normal course of life is abrupt by natural or man made disasters. However, experience has shown that it is during those trying times of emergence that these children are often neglected,” he stated.

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