…Deliberates On COVID-19, Malnutrition, Child Labour, Other Issues
From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
Mr. Maulid Warfa, the Chief of Field Office (CFO) of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Kano and his entire staff, vacated their offices for 15-year old Saudat Ahmad Wakil, who led other 21 brilliant children to deliberate on issues bordering children and their welfare for two hours.
The occasion was in commemoration of the World Children’s Day annually held on November 20. The theme of this year’s event is: “it is time to put children back to the agenda!”
Mr. Rafid Aziz, the Wash, Sanitation and Hygiene Manager of UNICEF in Kano held brief for the CFO who was unavoidable absent.
He handed over the Kano UNICEF Field Office to Saudat of Brilliant Academy, Kano, who intelligently deliberated on various issues affecting children, with her team, for about two hours.
Speaking on behalf of the CFO, Mr. Aziz said: “I welcome you and thank you for being here. Today, we are celebrating world children’s day. Since 2009, it is being celebrated globally by UNICEF in UN member countries. We are handing over the office to children today to see how UNICEF is functioning. Saudat Ahmad Wakil, thank you for coming today. I am handing over the office to you today to run and see how UNICEF is functioning.”
Suadat and her team did not disappoint. They settled down for the business of the day and deliberated on a long-range of issues.
They raised issues bordering on insecurity, COVID-19 pandemic, open defecation, contaminated water, malnutrition and the need for qualitative education for children in Kano and other North-West states.
The children who took charge of Kano UNICEF Field Office for about two hours brainstormed intelligently on the need to keep abiding by the COVID-19 protocols.
They condemned the menace of child abuse, particularly, children hawking on the street during school hours, insisting that every child has the right to quality education.
They urged government to promote inclusiveness of children in all policy formulations to ensure that every child gains access to the right for survival.
They also harped on the need to carry handicapped children along in all programmes that are geared towards the wellbeing and welfare of children.
The issues of the spread of cholera pandemic and measures to prevent the effects of cholera were also discussed by the children. They spoke on the need to educate children on washing their hands, eat well cooked food, cover their food, maintain high level of hygiene, clean up the toilets and avoid dirty environment.
The children also spoke on the need to ensure that every child have access to Informatio and Communication Technology (ICT), but however advocated for regulation of contents in the Social Media, so as not to allow children gain access to wrong information capable of corrupting their minds and ruining their future.
They, however, lamented the high rate of pre-natal and maternal mortality rate and urged parents to take the healthcare of their children as a top priority.
They also urged government to improve food productivity, food and nutrition and ensure that children are given balanced meal so as to curb the rate of malnutrition.
They also lamented that most places in Kano, and indeed, across the country, lack portable drinking water, regretting that people urinate and defecate in most sources of drinkable water, especially, in the rural areas.
They also talked about the parents forcing their children to abandon school and accompany them to farms during rainy season, particularly, in the hinterlands.
The children urged government to take the issue of climate change very seriously, while decrying indiscriminate cutting down of trees. They condemned deforestation and urged government to promote afforestation.
The children also urged government, community leaders and opinion leaders to ensure inclusion of children in decision-making. They are of the view that children have the acumen to make a change, as well as contribute to the progress and development of the society.
The children who frowned at the rising cases of early marriage, raised concern over the negative implication on the girl-child, particularly, in the northern part of the country. They, however, urged goveenment to increase official marriage age.
In their views, moreso, government need to give adequate training to teachers to ensure raise the standard of education, particularly, in the area of e-learning.
After reclaiming his office Kano UNICEF CFO, promised that UNICEF will do everything possible to advocate for their rights and channel their demands to appropriate quarters.
The AUTHORITY reports that the World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s global day of action for children, by children, marking the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on 20 November 1989. Since 2017, the World Children’s Day (WCD) has been celebrated on 20 November, the date the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was ratified. The #KidsTakeover of the UNICEF Field Office Kano will provide an opportunity for the participating children to learn about the organisation that works to promote their rights and well-being, as well as provide them an opportunity to share ideas with UNICEF as to what they consider to be the solutions to the issues that affect children, including those in the Changing Childhoods Study Report.
In Kano on Monday, about 22 children took over the UNICEF Field Office Kano during which time, the Chief of UNICEF Field Office Kano, Maulid Warfa, represented by Rafid Aziz, WASH Manager, handed over the office to Saudat Ahmad Wakil, who took over as the Chief of Field Office for two hours. Other children took over offices of UNICEF staff in Health, Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); Child Protection, Social Policy, Communication for Development, Management for Results, and Communication, Advocacy and Partnerships (CAP); including offices in the Operations section of UNICEF Field Office Kano.
