UNICEF Seeks Media Support for Child-Sensitive Financing

By Williams Danjuma, Gombe

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says the media plays an important role in strengthening investments in children and improving public outcomes in Bauchi, Gombe and Plateau States.

The UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Bauchi Field Office, Dr Nuzhat Rafiq, highlighted the power of the media in pushing for better budgetting and release of funds for the improvement of the well being of children the States.

She stated this during a one-day media dialogue on public financing for children as part of its advocacy efforts to strengthen public financing in the three States held on Monday in Bauchi.

Represented by UNICEF’s Education Specialist, Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ado, he said, “Journalists play a very important role in helping us achieve our goals in different sectors of children and women’s welfare”.

He pointed out that with political campaigns gearing up, Journalists are in a better position to task politicians on their priorities for the masses they want to rule.

“Women and children are facing a lot of challenges, many children are out of school, a lot of malnutrition cases, poor health care facilities, poor access to water and hygiene among many other challenges.

“It is important for Journalists to know the kind of questions, plans that the politicians have to address these challenges”, he stated.

Earlier, the UNICEF Social Policy Specialist, Yusuf Auta, in his presentation, highlighted the need for planning for children right from conception considering the fact that a woman is in labour almost every minute. He said this is a right of the child and the mother should give birth in a conducive environment.

“Unfortunately, budgets concentrate more on adults rather than children (0-18 years) who constitute over 51 per cent of the population. After the budgetary allocations, how much has been released? After spending, what is the result? That is where real progress is assessed.

“Results are very important. After budgetting billions and trillions in the budgets, the media is there to change the narratives by holding Government accountable”, he maintained.

The programme was organised by the Bauchi State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination in Collaboration with UNICEF Bauchi Field Office with Journalists and from Bauchi, Gombe and Plateau States participating.