From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
In a move to boost child welfare in the country, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has proposed the establishment of a Child Development and Protection Agency (CDPA). This initiative aims to enhance the implementation and enforcement of children’s rights policies in Nigeria, following a meeting with UNICEF officials at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement by her media aide, Jonathan Eze, this was the outcome of a crucial meeting with the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) management team, who paid her a courtesy visit at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of its children.
“The Ministry is overwhelmed with implementation tasks when, in fact, our core mandate is to design and supervise policies for the government. This is why we need the Child Development and Protection Agency, which will take on implementation, allowing us to focus on policy-making,” she emphasised.
The CDPA will work closely with law enforcement and child protection institutions to ensure effective enforcement of child rights laws. A key driver of this initiative is the Child Rights Act Review, which will provide legal backing for the agency.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim outlined a roadmap, starting with the development of a zero draft, followed by extensive consultations over the next two to three months. The proposed framework will be presented as an Executive Bill, with active collaboration from the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Highlighting the urgency of this initiative, the Minister stressed that Nigeria’s global standing is closely tied to how it treats its most vulnerable citizens—its children. “Every country is judged by how it protects its vulnerable groups, and our children are the most vulnerable. This agency is not optional; it is something we must do,” she noted.
The Minister also announced plans to train a dedicated pool of 100 to 200 child protection lawyers who will work at both state and federal levels, ensuring proper legal representation for cases related to adoption, child protection, and welfare issues.
Additionally, she reaffirmed Nigeria’s leadership role in ECOWAS Women and Children Affairs, revealing that the country will host the first-ever regional meeting for women and children in West Africa, supported by UN Women.
Furthermore, she underscored the critical link between child protection and birth registration, emphasising that Universal Cash Grant initiatives cannot be effectively implemented without a proper child identification system. She stressed the need for stringent data access regulations to protect vulnerable children, particularly those affected by insurgency.
Nigeria faces significant child protection challenges, particularly in the northeast, where children are exposed to multiple risks, including violence, child marriage, and recruitment by non-state armed groups.
The proposed agency will help address these challenges by strengthening community-based protection systems and enhancing collaboration with international partners like UNICEF.
“The time to act is now. We must come together to create a strong and sustainable framework for the protection of Nigerian children. With the support of UNICEF and other key stakeholders, we are taking a bold step towards a future where every child is safeguarded, empowered, and given the opportunity to thrive,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim concluded.
UNICEF’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Gilles Fagninou, commended the Minister’s efforts in driving the mandates of the ministry, particularly in combating sexual and gender-based violence against women and children. He assured the Minister of UNICEF’s support and collaboration in improving child welfare in Nigeria.
He assured the Minister of UNICEF’s support and collaboration in creating impacts and improving the welfare of children in Nigeria. Other members of the team included the Country Representative, Cristian Mundiate; Ibrahim Sesay, Chief Child Protection; and Mona Aika, the Child Protection Manager, among others.