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• Prioritise Children’s Rights Amid Global Funding Decline, UNICEF Tasks Legislators

• Lagos Assembly Reaffirms Commitment To Child Protection, Human Capital Development

To commemorated World Children’s Day (WCD) Nigerian children appealed to lawmakers to increase investment in child-centred initiatives. Their demands included more classrooms, better-trained teachers, access to digital learning resources, and stronger measures to ensure school safety.

In addition, they pressed for affordable healthcare and the establishment of more community health centres, stressing the risks associated with malnutrition and unsafe food.

Both Eleven-year-old Oluwaferanmi Sulaimon and Fourteen-year-old Obeye Esther spoke at the Children’s Policy Dialogue with Honourable Members of the Lagos Legislature and an Arts Exhibition showcasing children’s creative interpretations of their rights to mark the WCD.

Celine Lafoucriere, UNICEF Lagos Field Office Chief, encouraged legislators to prioritise urgent measures that safeguard and strengthen children’s rights. In her remarks to lawmakers, government representatives, and children, she highlighted that these rights are fundamental entitlements, including education, health, protection, clean water, and the right to participate.

She raised the alarm over the global decline in child-focused funding, noting that cuts could result in 4.5 million additional child deaths by 2030 and six million more children out of school by 2026.

Pointing out that over 200 million children need urgent help, the Lagos Chief stressed that funding gaps to shape Lagos narratives. “This is the world we are operating in right now. But it does not have to be our Lagos story,” she said, praising the state’s strong record in birth registration and prior child-centred initiatives.

Lafoucriere stressed that children’s participation is essential in policymaking, urging legislators not to dismiss their testimonies as mere anecdotes but to recognise them as real-life accounts of unmet rights. “These children are here because they believe you can help. They believe you will help,” she said, reminding lawmakers of the power they hold to enact meaningful change.

She underscored that the central theme of her message was the positive impact of investing in children. “Every child you invest in becomes a healthier, smarter, more productive adult. Every child you protect is one less person trapped in poverty or crime. Every child you empower becomes a leader who builds a better Lagos,” Lafoucriere stated.

She urged Assembly members to move beyond listening, calling for specific, actionable commitments such as fixing schools, expanding digital learning in remote communities, building health centres, and including children’s voices in decision-making.

Lafoucriere therefore restated UNICEF’s readiness to support Lagos in fulfilling children’s rights and urged that the dialogue translate into visible actions. “Let us leave here with actions that children can see and feel in their daily lives. Let us show them what leadership looks like,” she declared, reinforcing the message that effective governance and child-focused policies are essential to building a stronger, more equitable Lagos.

Responding, Majority Leader Hon. Noheem Adams, representing the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, assured that the Assembly is committed to strengthening human capital development through strategic investment in health and education.

He disclosed that legislation establishing a standalone University of Medicine has been passed, aimed at expanding the state’s healthcare workforce and improving access to quality medical care.

“We are expanding general hospitals and primary health centres across the state. But infrastructure alone is not enough without qualified personnel. The University of Medicine will enable Lagos to produce more skilled health professionals to meet rising demand,” Adams said.

Concerning education, Adams stated that Lagos is building more classrooms, including digital learning spaces, while recruiting and training teachers to reduce class sizes and enhance classroom effectiveness.

He admitted concerns about out-of-school children and said the state is working with the Ministry of Education to support children in street situations while protecting their rights. Adams also stressed child safety, confirming the state’s resolve to prevent abduction and security risks, pointing to past cases that prompted stricter school surveillance. “You will see soldiers posted in sensitive areas to protect children. Lagos remains the safest state in Nigeria, and we intend to keep it that way,” he said.

Adams advised children in Lagos to shun negative influences while taking advantage of new opportunities, reaffirming that the Assembly will continue to prioritise initiatives that promote child protection and welfare across the state.