In a major push to strengthen child welfare and social inclusion, the European Union has partnered with the Sokoto State Government to unveil a child-sensitive social protection model aimed at improving access to essential services for vulnerable households across the state. The initiative is designed to enhance accurate targeting, boost data quality and ensure that children most at risk are not left behind in government intervention programmes.
The project is being funded under the €14 million Social Support for Social Inclusion programme and is being jointly implemented by UNICEF and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Officials say the collaboration forms part of broader efforts to reinforce Nigeria’s social protection framework and build a more responsive safety net that prioritises children and low-income families.
Speaking at the launch in Sokoto on Wednesday, UNICEF Deputy Representative, Ms Rownak Khan, acknowledged Nigeria’s progress in developing social protection systems but warned that child poverty remains “vast, widespread and deeply multidimensional.” She explained that deprivation goes beyond income, noting that many children face overlapping challenges such as lack of education, poor healthcare, malnutrition, absence of legal identity and missed vaccinations.
According to Khan, these combined disadvantages reinforce one another and leave long-term scars on children’s development and future productivity. Stakeholders at the event expressed optimism that the new model will help close critical gaps, strengthen service delivery and provide sustainable support for children whose lives are shaped by poverty and exclusion.