Stakeholders has called on governments at all levels to empower women especially in conflict affected areas and rural communities to address child poverty and stimulate rapid development in North-East.
This is contained in a communique issued and signed by the Chairman, Mr Ishola Michael Adeyemi at the end of two-day Media Dialogue on addressing Child Poverty in Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe States facilitated by UNICEF Bauchi Field Office in Gombe.
The Media Roundtable/Dialogue has noted with concern the growing poverty indices among Nigerian Children.
“Therefore calls for strategic policy shift by governments at both States and National levels to improve the lives of children bedeviled by the poverty phenomenon.
“The meeting calls for a seamless policy implementation across all tiers of governments to empower Nigerians against the present high cost of living which its devastating effects are unprecedented especially on the children and women.
“Nigerian Social Safety Register should be cleaned up to ensure transparency and honesty are driving its implementation”, the meeting noted.
The meeting also called on heads of households and community stakeholders to support women and adolescent girls to access healthcare services for an improved quality reproductive, maternal and child health status in states.
The participants at the meeting have resolved to continue to advocate for child friendly policies as part of their contribution to achieving an egalitarian society using different platforms of communication.
“We calls on state governments to prioritize children’s wellbeing in budgeting and decision-making processes and policies as well as other issues that directly concerns them.
The stakeholders equally calls on state governments to assist small farmers with farming inputs at subsidized rates easily enough to address food insecurity and child poverty.
The meeting further calls on states governments and stakeholders in the education sector to beef up monitoring system in education sector to enhance school safety for improved learning outcomes and safe environment for all.
