From Emmanuel Uzor, Awka
United Nations Emergency Funds, UNICEF, has commenced Social Policy degree programme in collaboration with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
The Communication Officer, UNICEF, Field Office, Enugu, Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe, said the organisation supports governments in developing programmes geared towards attainment of child rights through strengthening government systems and building capacity of stakeholders to implement child-sensitive and sustainable interventions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
She said it’s a key strategy in leveraging on its partnership with academic institutions to develop and sustain a strong knowledge base in support of evidence-based policymaking across the world.
“In Nigeria, UNICEF’s Social Policy section initiated a new partnership in 2018 to bridge capacity gaps and strengthen government institutions, systems, and individuals involved in policy decisions, both in formulation and implementation stages. This partnership led to the establishment of a postgraduate Social Policy programme in universities in Nigeria and a Consultative Forum for University Policy Makers, comprising of Vice-Chancellors, Deans/Provosts of Postgraduate Schools, and Deans of Faculty of Social Sciences from 12 renowned universities (two from each geopolitical zone of Nigeria).
“The Forum also identified significant knowledge and capacity gaps in social policy across government parastatals and other institutions in Nigeria and recommended the establishment of Social Policy Institutes to help the country narrows these knowledge and capacity gaps.
“In response, the Institute of Social Policy at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka was formally approved by the University Senate at its 224th Meeting on May 8, 2024. The programme which underscores UNICEF’s commitment to the localization agenda through collaboration with academic institutions to build a critical mass of professionals, evidence-based advocacy, and support policy planning and implementation and related dialogues and efforts around social programmes in alignment with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University’s vision and mission as well as its broader development agenda.”
Onuoha-Ogwe further disclosed that with technical and financial support from UNICEF, the Social Policy programme would collaboratively develop as a visionary initiative aimed at strengthening research, evidence generation, policy formulation and human capacity development among individuals and governments at the federal, state, and local levels in Nigeria.