Child rights in focus as APHCDA, women affairs min., Adamawa poly enter pact
The move to promote rights of children has gained considerable traction and milestone in Adamawa State as Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA), Ministry of Women Affairs and social development, and Adamawa State polytechnic signed a dual and tripartite agreement to enhance the mapping and training of social workers in the state.
Adamawa State is one of the northern states that has domesticated the child rights act. But despite the development, the basic rights of children to education, health and protection is coming under considerable scrutiny as out-of-school children and other challenges bedeviling the growth of the child still thrive in the state.
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To bridge the gap, the three organizations enter a tripartite and dual agreements to facilitate the mapping of existing social workers, identify auxiliary social workers and trained them on the rudiments of child protection within the context of Adamawa socio-cultural and economic challenges across all communities. The Adamawa State polytechnic will provide the training to be sponsored by UNICEF.
Speaking during the epoch making event, Ladi Alabi, Child Protection Specialist noted that the new agreement will ensure a seamless synergy between the three organizations for optimal service delivery.
She noted that at the tripartite level the three organizations will work together to map both existing social workers and auxiliary social workers that are in the communities who will serve as vanguards of child protection.
She noted that the auxiliary social workers are people who can make the work happen at the community level but they don’t have the professional training and qualifications to do it.
“The govt needs to recognize their efforts identify them and recommend them to UNICEF for appropriate training. When they are trained they go back into the community. Obviously providing training is the role the tertiary institution play here that is why we didn’t go to any tertiary institution we have to identify one that is already doing this social welfare training hence the choice of Adamawa State polytechnic,” she said.
Also speaking during the the event, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, chief of field office, UNICEF Bauchi UNICEF noted that in line with its core mandate, UNICEF is poised to bankroll the training of the social welfare workforce in order to strengthen the protection of the basic rights of the children in the state.
She noted that the rights of every child the child is sacrosanct but more importantly basic rights of the child in nutrition, sanitation, education and protection against all forms of abuse is cardinal.
“All these basic rights of the children in the areas of nutrition, health, educational, sanitation and others alongside protection from violence, abuse and any mishandling and exposing children to injury is critical,” she said.
She noted that that in addition, children must be given the opportunities to thrive and have a brighter future and also treated and rehabilitated whenever they are exposed to any form of abuse.
Also speaking, the chairman of Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Sulaiman Said Bashir, the Rector of Adamawa State polytechnic, Dr. Muhammad Toungos represented by the registrar and the commissioner of women affairs and social development in Adamawa, Hon. Neido Kofulto represented by the permanent secretary all thanked UNICEF for the novel innovation and concern for the welfare and development of the child.
They assured the UNICEF of their unwavering commitment to ensure that the project attained its desired goal for the benefit of all the children in Adamawa State.
Meanwhile Rafique and Bashir have called on all parents to avail their children for the routine polio immunization which starts from 26 – 29 April, 2025.
The duo urged all stakeholders to double their efforts in making sure that all children in the state are covered noting that adequate modalities have been out in place to ensure the success of the four day exercise.
