By Palma Ileye
In a bid to ensure every child in Nigeria was safe, supported, and thrives in a loving environment, SOS Children’s Villages, SOSCVN, in partnership with the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, and other development partners, have launched a project supported by the European Union, EU to build hope and secure their future.
The project, which will be implemented for 36 months in Edo, Borno, and Plateau States, and at national levels, aims to improve the quality of education and care for vulnerable children, strengthen legal and policy frameworks guiding child protection, and build the technical capacity of key Ministries, childcare professionals, and service providers.
Speaking on the Project’s Goals and Expectations at the launch held in Abuja yesterday, the National Director of SOS Children’s Villages, Mr. Eghosa Erhumwunse, explained that the project will support over 13,500 vulnerable children, provide care and support to 900 caregivers, and build the capacity of at least 240 childcare professionals, with the goal of reaching over 1 million children and their families across the focus States.
He said, “It is with deep sense of purpose and partnership that I welcome you all to this pivotal occasion and the start of a lasting journey of legacy. The launch of the European Union-funded project: “Strengthening Child Care and Protection Systems in Nigeria,” Today, we are united by our shared vision: a Nigeria where every child is safe, supported, and thrives in a loving environment. When I was a child, Nigeria’s total population was around 60 million.”
Erhumwunse noted that Nigeria which was home to over 100 million children alone, a figure that now surpasses the entire population from just a few decades ago illustrates the rapid demographic expansion in the country, and it underscores the urgent need for intentional, structured, and well-resourced systems to protect them.
He said, these children were not just the future, “They are our present, yet many faces daily threats of abuse, neglect, exploitation, child marriage, trafficking, and unsafe care arrangements. While the Child Rights Act has been domesticated in every state, we continue to see a critical gap between legislation and implementation.
“This project directly responds to that gap, with intention, innovation, and collaboration across all tiers of government and key stakeholders involved in the care and protection of children.
“With the generous support of the European Union, this project will be implemented in Edo, Borno, and Plateau States, as well as at the National level. It is a comprehensive and structured response designed to fortify both state institutions and community-level safety nets for children in need of care and protection.”
He explained that, “At the heart of this project is the commitment to strengthen the legal and policy frameworks guiding child protection, particularly the Child Rights Law and the Alternative Care Guidelines.
“It seeks to build the technical capacity of key ministries, childcare professionals, and service providers to deliver quality care based on best practices and international standards as well as leverage advocacy and community strengthening efforts for effective sustainability.
“Over the course of 36 months, this project will be implemented by SOS Children’s Villages in partnership CISLAC and the Jireh Doo Foundation reaching over 13,500 vulnerable children, support 900 caregivers, and build the capacity of at least 240 childcare professionals directly, 72 Government agencies and many more.
“The project is poised to impact over one million children and their families across the focus states. Beyond these numbers lies the true value of this initiative restoring safety, dignity, and hope to children whose rights have been ignored or violated for far too long.”
“The protection of children is not the sole responsibility of one institution or actor, it is a collective moral imperative. As we unveil this important project today, I ask each of us to renew our individual and institutional commitment to building a Nigeria where every child is protected, respected, and free to thrive,” the SOSCVN National Director added.
Also, the Head of EU Delegation in Nigeria, Massimo De Luca, highlighted some key expectations of the project, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in promoting child welfare.
On Poor Implementation of Child Protection Act, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, lamented the poor implementation of the Child Protection Act in Nigeria, leading to the continuous exposure of children to different forms of abuse and violation of their rights.
Other partners, including the Jireh Doo Foundation, JDF Foundation, and Save the Children International, who also echoed similar concerns, stressed the need for collective action to protect Nigeria’s children.
Throwing more light on, A Step Towards a Brighter Future; The project marks a significant step towards strengthening childcare and protection systems in Nigeria.
With the support of the EU and other development partners, SOS Children’s Villages and CISLAC restated that they were poised to make a lasting impact on the lives of vulnerable children and their families.
Adding that by working together, stakeholders can ensure that every child in Nigeria has access to quality education, care, and protection, and can thrive in a loving environment.
