Angela Onwuzoo
The United Nations Children’s Fund has urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to change the narrative for children in the state by passing laws that protect their rights and safeguard their well-being and education, amid a global decline in child rights.
The Chief of UNICEF’s Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, delivered the charge on Thursday at the World Children’s Day Policy Dialogue with Legislators & Children’s Arts Exhibition.
This year’s World Children’s Day, marked annually on November 20, is themed “My Day, My Right,” a global call to action for children everywhere.
It marks the anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and serves as a call to action for schools, communities, and institutions to engage with and support children.
Lafoucriere, who led children from various schools across the state to the Assembly complex in Alausa to make their demands known to the House, told the lawmakers that they have the power to change the lives of children in the state despite global funding cuts.
“The important thing is that these children are here because they believe you can help. They believe you will help! You are sitting in the House of Assembly, the place where laws are made, budgets are approved, and priorities are set.
“’ You have the power to change their lives today. And here is what I want from you, our dear leaders. Do not just listen politely and move on because what they are describing is not acceptable. Not in our Lagos!
“Every child you invest in becomes a healthier, smarter, more productive adult. Every child you protect is one less person trapped in poverty or crime. Every child you empower becomes a leader who builds a better Lagos”, she said.
Lafoucriere urged the lawmakers to prioritise all children’s rights — including identity, protection, education, health, nutrition, and access to water — stressing that guaranteeing these rights through increased budget allocations is not a favour to children but a constitutional duty.
The Chief of UNICEF’s Lagos Field Office expressed concern over the plight of children worldwide and appealed to lawmakers to ensure that the story of children in Lagos is different.
“But let me tell you what is happening right now. Globally, we are seeing a pullback on child rights. Funding is being slashed just when children need it most.
“These funding cuts mean 4.5 million more children could die by 2030. Six million more children could be out of school by 2026. And while over 200 million children desperately need help, the money to reach them is disappearing.
“This is the world we are operating in right now. But it does not have to be our Lagos story. I have been in Lagos long enough to know what you are capable of. When you commit to something, you deliver”, she said.
Lafoucriere lauded the Lagos birth registration numbers, describing it as the best in Nigeria.
“When you decide that children matter, you prove it. And so, when the children finish speaking, we would love to hear specific commitments from our Honorable Members on when to fix that school or expand digital learning including in remote and hard-to-reach communities, when to build that health center or expand that health insurance scheme, when to create space for children’s voices in your decisions, and so on”, Lafoucriere told the lawmakers.
She reiterated UNICEF’s consistent readiness to support the state in fulfilling the rights of every child.
Responding, the chairman of the House Committee on Youths and Social Development, Abiodun Orekoya, commended UNICEF for its unwavering commitment to children.
Orekoya advised the children to envision themselves as future members of the parliament, urging them to stay away from drugs, so that they could succeed, excel, and fulfil their true potential in life.
He affirmed that UNICEF’s continuous support was helping to secure a brighter, more promising future for every child.
World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s global day of action for children, by children, marking the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on November 20.
Around the world, children are standing up and talking about their lives, their hopes, and their rights.
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