The Federal Government says Nigerian children suffer poverty more than adults and are likely to be deprived of all 10 of the multi-dimensional poverty indicators.
Senator Abubakar Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja, at the 2024 World Children’s Day celebration with the theme “Listen to the Future”.
The day which is a United Nations observance day is commemorated on Nov. 20 every year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improve children’s welfare.
At the 2024 commemoration, celebrated by the Federal Government, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other stakeholders, the updated Situation Analysis of Children in Nigeria (SitAn) was inaugurated.
Bagudu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Emeka Vitalis-Obi, said that the 10 multi-dimensional poverty indicators include clean water, sanitation, adequate nutrition, health and education.
He added that the report stipulated that 26 per cent of primary school age children, 25 per cent of junior secondary school age children, and 24 per cent of senior secondary school age children are out of school.
“At the same time, 1.3 million children have been forced to flee from their homes due to conflict.”
Bagudu also said that schools and health facilities lacked or have only limited access to water, sanitation and hygiene services with low levels of essential gender-sensitive or disability-friendly services.
“While the data mortality is declining, it is still high at 41 per cent per 1,000 live births, according to the Democratic Health Survey 2003-2004, stunting is still at 40 per cent and wasting is at 80 per cent.
“Approximately 70 per cent of households consume contaminated water.”
He said that although the situation had progressed in most areas, the figures still revealed causes for concern.
According to him, the infant mortality rate is increasing but still unacceptably high, while child poverty is a big problem for enduring children as demonstrated by the indices.
He, however, said that as a signatory to the Millennium Declaration and the government’s award for children, the Federal Government had assumed a commitment to significantly improve the child welfare indicators.
“One of the government’s aspirations in the National Government Plan 2025 and the Renewable Agenda is to reduce poverty through social protection programmes and improve the situation of children in the country.
“As a government, we will achieve this through accelerated, sustained, inclusive economic growth and social protection initiatives.”
