Multidimensional Poverty Regards Children’s Rights To Education, Health In Nigeria, Says Economic Expert
By Khalid Idris Doya
It has been observed that Multidimensional Poverty (MP) extends beyond monetary measures of poverty, such as income or consumption, as it includes deprivation experienced by individuals or households.
Multidimensional Poverty (MP) also affects issues like education, health, living standards, access to basic services, social exclusion, and other factors that contribute to overall well-being.
A Gombe based economic expert, Dr. Ali Madina Dankumo gave 566 M (World) 534 M (SSA) children are MP, with 46% poor in Nigeria (World Bank, 2023), and 67.5% of children (aged 0-17) are MM and 51% of all poor in Nigeria are children (NBS, 2022).
Dankumo, at a media dialogue on child poverty in UNICEF Bauchi Field Office States of Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe, said that poverty has incidences in all states of Nigerian federation having 50%, except Bayelsa, Sokoto, Gombe and Kebbi having 95%.
He said that MP and Child’s Rights to Education can limit access to quality education by imposing barriers such as lack of school fees, uniforms, books, and transportation, as well as poor living conditions, including inadequate housing and sanitation facilities, can affect children’s ability to attend school regularly and concentrate on their studies.
Others are malnutrition and health issues resulting from poverty can impair cognitive development, making it more difficult for children to learn and succeed in school, while children from impoverished backgrounds may be forced into child labor or early marriage, depriving them of the opportunity to pursue education.
“MP often correlates with inadequate access to healthcare services, preventive measures, and nutritious food, leading to higher rates of malnutrition, disease, and mortality among children”, he said.
Dr. Dankumo therefore suggested improvement in access to quality education, access to healthcare services, strengthening social safety nets and exploitation, empowering marginalized households and communities promoting child-friendly policies and legislation, as well as creating awareness among the stakeholders (Governments, Parents and Children).