CHILDREN AND SOCIAL INCLUSION 

The authorities must do more to protect our children

Stakeholders across many countries marked the 2026 Children’s Day yesterday, with Nigeria adopting the theme, ‘Future Now: Promoting Inclusion for Every Nigerian Child’. It centers on child development and protection, emphasizing that no child should be left behind regardless of their socioeconomic background, religion, ethnicity, gender, or disability. This aligns directly with the federal government’s declaration of 2026 as the “Year of Families and Social Development,” highlighting the family unit as a key environment for a child’s growth and security.

 President Bola Tinubu reiterated in his message that the administration remains firmly committed to listening to children and placing their welfare at the centre of governance through policies and investments. “A nation that listens to its children is one that is wisely preparing for the future. Your opinions matter. Your ideas matter. Your wellbeing matters,” said the President. He noted that the true measure of our progress as a nation lies in the safeguards we build for our children: “This administration remains committed to building a nation where every child can dream boldly, grow safely, learn freely, and succeed honourably.” But, as we have repeatedly argued, critical stakeholders in the country should go beyond sloganeering.

To achieve the goal of inclusion for all Nigerian children, it is important to reflect on the impediment placed in the ways of children in the country. The pitiable sight of numerous children who have been turned to professional beggars thronging the streets of major towns and cities is enough to confirm that we have a crisis on our hands. More than 20 million children reportedly are out of school, just as many are stunted and underweight because of poor nutrition. In a recent survey by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), six out of every 10 Nigerian children were reported to suffer some forms of physical, emotional, or sexual violence before attaining the age of 18.

By prioritising children’s rights and participation, we can help to build a better future for all. However, with about 70 per cent of families living below the poverty line, it is no surprise that education is often the first casualty in most rural communities in the country today. Children are usually the ones sent into the streets to hawk or work as house help for more fortunate families. Particularly disturbing is that repeated attacks on schools by sundry cartels of criminal gangs instill fear in many children. For instance, education which ought to have productively engaged these children has suffered greatly because of the predatory activities of terrorists.

There are other challenges. Even though the Child Rights Act has been domesticated in almost all the states, its provisions are hardly enforced. Child marriage, child trafficking, child labour and rape of underage boys and girls are on the increase in many parts of the country. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in its blueprint for 2030 provides a universal plan to secure a better future for children. Besides, in recent years, there have been many reports that non-state armed groups are using children in the country as combatants and non-combatants, while committing other grave violations against them.

Conscripting children into these armed groups is not only a gross abuse of their innocence, but also a systematic destruction of the present and future of the country. Already, armed conflict situations have created children who are separated from their families, unprotected, starved, and exposed to violence as their only means of survival. Besides the mental and physical torture, exposing children to armed conflict increases their risk of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, to promote inclusion for our children, authorities in Nigeria must prioritise their protection and create welfare policies through incentivised and compulsory basic education.