As Nigeria marks Children’s Day 2024, there are renewed calls for the government to prioritize the rights and welfare of children. This day serves as a crucial reminder to create a safe and nurturing environment for children to develop into resourceful, creative, and patriotic adults.
This year’s theme is, “For every child, every right.”
Despite common rhetoric that children are the future, many Nigerian children face harsh realities such as child labour, trafficking, insecurity, poor nutrition, and lack of basic amenities.
Nigeria’s youthful population, with 42% under the age of 15 and 70% under 30, is among the most oppressed. Economic hardship exacerbates their plight, with food inflation at 40.53% and widespread insecurity undermining family nutrition. The 2023 Global Report on Food Crisis identifies Nigeria as one of the ten countries where families lack essential nutrients, with 31.5% of Nigerian children experiencing stunted growth due to malnutrition.
Financial constraints force many parents to withdraw their children from school, contributing to Nigeria’s 20.1 million out-of-school children, the second highest number globally after India.
The political class is under fire for failing Nigerian children. Despite a critical need to address out-of-school children, 27 out of 36 states have not accessed the N54.9 billion Universal Basic Education Commission fund designed to promote primary education. Without substantial investment, Nigeria cannot achieve free and compulsory education at public primary and secondary levels.
Insecurity further undermines children's rights and education. Insurgents and terrorists recruit children for criminal activities, with nearly 10,000 children joining Boko Haram between 2009 and 2019, and 83 children used as ‘human bombs’ in 2017, according to UNICEF.
Kidnappings and displacement add to children's suffering, with over 1.4 million children displaced by violence, according to the UN. President Bola Tinubu’s administration has struggled to address these issues, with over 7,000 kidnappings reported by March, per SBM Intelligence. Notable incidents include the January abduction and murder of 13-year-old Folashade Ariyo in Abuja, and the February kidnapping of 200 women and children near an IDP camp in Borno State.
The failure to enforce the Child Rights Act in many states exacerbates child labour, marriage, and abuse. Although 34 states have domesticated the act, about 24 million children aged five to 17 are engaged in child labour, per the National Bureau of Statistics.
Parents are urged to plan their families to avoid financial strain and ensure their children receive education. President Tinubu is called upon to revitalize the school feeding programme, suspended due to a financial misappropriation scandal. A transparent and effective programme would encourage school attendance and reduce dropouts.
State governments must fulfill their statutory responsibilities to protect and support children.
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