Improve education, healthcare for children in IDP camps, NGO tells FG

Babafunke Fagbemi, the executive director of the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), has called for more protection and strengthening of the social determinants of health for children in Nigeria.

In commemoration of the 2022 Children’s Day celebration in Nigeria, Fagbemi said children, who are among the most vulnerable demography in Nigeria, have been bearing the brunt of insecurity and infrastructural deficit despite making up the larger percentage of the population in the Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps in the country.

“As we mark the World Children’s Day in Nigeria, CCSI is calling for more efforts from governments and stakeholders to ensure that we give a better deal to our children, the future of our nation,” she said.

“By this, we are asking that insecurity, which has displaced several thousands of people in the Northeast and northwest, including a large percentage of children must be brought under control.

“Also, the army of out-of-school children in Nigeria which is estimated to be 10.5 million children- according to UNICEF in its January 2022 report- must be taken back to the classrooms and prepared to become productive and responsible citizens of Nigeria in future.”

She also noted that the plights of the children in various IDP camps remains a source of concern to every citizen and stakeholder, adding that adequate provisions must be made to ensure these children are educated and they have access to a functional healthcare system.

“According to UNICEF, sixty percent of the estimated 1.9 million displaced persons in Nigeria are children with many of them living in unhealthy and unsafe environments without access to basic infrastructures and education. Many of these children have been victims of sexual harassment and molestations,” she added.

“CCSI commends President Muhammadu Buhari on his commitment to ending insecurity and ensuring Nigerian children have access to basic education, however, we would like to ask that policies must be intentional about addressing these challenges.

“CCSI’s work revolves around providing children the opportunity to maximize their potential and give these precious ones a voice. Children are a force to reckon with as they serve as formidable agents of change, and we learn so much from the way they view the world.

“At CCSI, we are intentional at making sure we protect all children from harm and showcase their beauty, intelligence and charm.”