Toyin Saraki Urges Nigeria's Implementation Of Child Protection Policies, Calls On G7 Leaders To Protect The Rights Of Displaced Children

As Nigeria commemorated Children's Day across the nation, coinciding with the meeting of G7 Heads of Government in Sicily, Italy, Toyin Saraki, Founder, Wellbeing Foundation Africa has urged federal and state governments and stake holders to strengthen and scale-up the implementation of child protection policies across Nigeria, stressing the key functions and capacities of Child Protection Networks in the 36 States of the Federation.

"Since then, we have seen increased interventions to promote and protect children and keep them safe. But we have also seen an alarming increase in reported cases of violence, sexual violence, and even rape, against children. UNICEF Nigeria states today that 'One in four girls and one in 10 boys experience sexual violence as well as one in six girls and one in five boys experience emotional violence by a parent, caregiver or adult relative'. Let us always remember that #AChildIsAChild and take action to end can end violence against children in Nigeria, and everywhere, now."

Continuing to highlight the plight of displaced and vulnerable children globally, Toyin Saraki, a supporter of UNICEF's A Child Is A Child global advocacy campaign, called for governments and world leaders to provide displaced children with health-enhanced certifiable identity documents, in a call to action stating:

"As G7 leaders meet in Sicily Italy today and tomorrow, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa urges the leaders to protect the rights of displaced and vulnerable children seeking refuge and safety around the world. The protection of unaccompanied minors and children is the right of every child, no matter their place of birth." The Wellbeing Foundation Africa urges governments of the G7 countries to act on the following agenda:
• Protect child refugees and migrants, particularly unaccompanied children, from exploitation and violence.
• End the detention of children seeking refugee status or migrating by finding practical alternatives.
• Keep families together as the best way to protect children, and give children legal status.
• Keep all refugee and migrant children learning and give them access to health and other quality services.
• Press for action on the underlying causes of large-scale movements of refugees and migrants.
• Promote measures to combat xenophobia, discrimination, and marginalization in countries of transit and destination"
"When world leaders adopted the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants in September 2016, they acknowledged the urgent and unmet needs of vulnerable child migrants. It is time to act and deliver on this promise."

Mrs. Toyin Saraki