UNICEF urges Nigeria to adopt global approaches of addressing child poverty

Samuel Luka, Bauchi

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has encouraged Nigerian government and stakeholders to adopt global learning and approaches to address child poverty.

A Social Policy Specialist with the UNICEF, Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Yusuf Auta stated this recently while speaking at a Media Dialogue on Child Poverty in Gombe state.

He said in Slovakia, Child poverty was reduced by improving the living standard of the citizens as promoted by labour market policy.

According to him, the Slovakian government implemented series of policies to address in-work poverty as well as promoting decent work when the country amended its minimum wage Act of 2015.

The Social Policy Specialist who added that Poland’s Social protection reforms also played an important role in the country’s progress, stressed that in 2007, Poland had one of the highest child poverty in the European Union, but was able to contain, as more substantial improvement were recorded from 2016 and beyond.

He said that the success was recorded by Poland following its government’s decision to increase expenditure on cash benefits of households with children.

The Specialist urged the Nigerian government to expand its child sensitive social protection, improve and ensure citizens’ access to essential services, ensuring decent work and family-friendly policies to address child poverty.

According to him, to address child poverty, Nigeria should also strive to reduce inequalities and poverty risks, build support for child poverty reduction- engagement of the actors, involve the children in poverty debate as well as generate better data.

Similarly, a Lecturer in the department of Economics and Development Studies, Federal University Kashere, Gombe state, Dr. Ali Madina Dankumo, enjoined the Nigerian government to invest in education, Health, nutrition and other key areas that affects the living standard of children towards addressing child poverty.