The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has raised concerns over child poverty in Jigawa with 89 percent of children in the state facing monetary poverty, while 85.6 percent are multi dimensionally poor.
Speaking at the launch of Jigawa’s General Household Survey in Dutse on Wednesday, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kano, Rahama Farrah, highlighted the severe deprivations faced by children in health, education, nutrition, water sanitation, shelter, access to information, and child protection.
Farrah, represented by UNICEF’s Education Specialist Micheal Banda, described the survey as a crucial step in addressing these challenges, emphasizing the need for immediate action.
“UNICEF’s Kano Field Office is proud of the strong partnership we share with Jigawa across multiple sectors. Together, we have achieved significant milestones, including strengthening systems for measuring child poverty,” he stated.
Local government chairmen were urged to take the lead in translating survey data into actionable policies to combat child poverty.
UNICEF also commended Governor Umar Namadi for his commitment to data-driven governance, as the survey provides detailed estimates across all 27 local government areas.
The organization called for the swift implementation of structured social protection programs targeting vulnerable children and urged the passage of the revised social protection bill into law. Increased budgetary allocations for child-focused initiatives were also recommended.
Additionally, UNICEF stressed the need to scale up birth registration efforts for children under five, aiming to boost the current rate by at least 30 percent.
The Jigawa General Household Survey was conducted with UNICEF’s support, providing critical data to drive policies that improve child welfare in the state.
NAN
