By Philip Yatai
UNICEF has lauded the Kaduna Government for capturing 680, 888 poor and vulnerable households into the State Social Register.
Dr Wilfred Mamah, Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna office gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.
Mamah commended the Kaduna State Operation Coordinating Unit (KADSOCU) for giving the ”poor and vulnerable a voice” during the process of generating the register.
He, however, noted that there was no inclusion of children in the Community-Based Targeting (CBT) process used in populating the register.
“We want to see children as leaders of tomorrow, contributing to decisions that concern them. UNICEF will work with SOCU to see how that can happen during the CBT process,” he said.
He pointed out that data management was critical in child protection system strengthening, adding that UNICEF would support SOCU in developing and managing credible data of the poor and vulnerable in the state.
Mamah said that the measure was crucial, as dealing with children was different from dealing with adults.
According to him, the state Child Welfare and Protection Law 2018 provides the needed legal framework in handling issues related to children in the state.
“But we have realised that some Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have not been trained on the provisions of the law. This is a huge gap.
“For example, I am not sure issues of how to handle data related to children has been mainstreamed into the poor and vulnerable household data management system.
“Anybody can just ask for data, get it and mismanage it. This is why UNICEF will train SOCU officials on the intricacy of children’s data and how to handle it.”
He also said that the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development in charge of child protection was handling data on children differently from the data managed by SOCU.
The child protection specialist stressed the need for working synergy between the two MDAs to share skills and understanding of children’s data management.
NAN reports that the State Government said that no fewer than 2.6 million individuals have been captured in the Social Register with 680,888 poor and vulnerable households.
The state Commissioner, Planning and Budget Commission, Sani Abdullahi said the KADSOCU has delivered on a robust social register of poor and vulnerable households for planning and decision-making in the state.
He the state government is poised to reduce poverty and ensure social inclusion among citizens.
He explained that the state government has provided over N4billion in the 2022 Budget for pro-poor interventions that seek to support the vulnerable and ensure social inclusion among the urban and rural poor citizens across the state.
(NAN)
