By Adamu IMAM Bauchi
Combating Child Poverty Requires Multifaceted Approach--Experts
By Adamu IMAM Bauchi
A Social Policy Specialist with the United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF, Dr. Yusuf Auta urged the federal government and other stakeholders to address the lingering child poverty bedeviling the country, especially in the northeastern states
He stated this while speaking to journalists after a media dialogue on how to address child poverty in Nigeria, organized by Unicef Bauchi Field Office BFO recently in Gombe state
According to UNICEF The dialogue was aimed to combat child poverty in three states of the region which includes Adamawa Bauchi and Gombe, with selected journalist representing their various media organization
The expert during the meeting, he cited Slovakia, as example, noting that, Child poverty was reduced by improving the living standard of the citizens as promoted by labour market policy in their country
According to him, the Slovakian government implemented series of policies to address in-work poverty as well as promoting decent work when the country amended its minimum wage Act of 2015.
The Social Policy Specialist who added that Poland’s Social protection reforms also played an important role in the country’s progress, stressed that in 2007, Poland had one of the highest child poverty in the European Union, but was able to contain, as more substantial improvement were recorded from 2016 and beyond.
He said that the success was recorded by Poland following its government’s decision to increase expenditure on cash benefits of households with children.
Yusuf Auta urged Nigerian government to expand its child sensitive social protection, improve and ensure citizens’ access to essential services, ensuring decent work and family-friendly policies to address child poverty.
According to him, addressing child poverty, Nigeria should also strive to reduce inequalities and poverty risks, build support for child poverty reduction- engagement of the actors, involve the children in poverty debate as well as generate better data.
Similarly, a Lecturer in the department of Economics and Development Studies, Federal University Kashere, Gombe state, Dr. Ali Madina Dankumo, enjoined the Nigerian government to invest in education, health nutrition and other key areas that affects the living standard of children towards addressing child poverty, throughout the country