The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) works in close partnership with the Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe State-level Committees for the Protection of Children from Violence in Contexts of Insecurity to prevent child recruitment by armed and criminal groups - and foster the effective rehabilitation and reintegration of those affected.
Committee members from Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States gathered in Abuja between 21 and 22 October 2024 to build their understanding of the experiences of children recruited and exploited by terrorist groups including through exploration of UNODC’s illuminating research study Targeted by Terrorists; and to strengthen their knowledge of the national and international legal and policy framework surrounding the treatment of these children.
Launched in April 2024 with UNODC’s support, the State-level Committees enhance coordination amongst Government agencies, civil society organizations, youth and communities toward the protection, support, rehabilitation and reintegration of child victims of recruitment and exploitation. To this end, the committees have oversight of the implementation of the Nigeria Call for Action at the State level. This declaration recognizes the priority of protecting children from the threats associated with terrorism; prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration as key priorities; and the complementarity of security and child rights in any efforts to tackle the phenomenon. The successful workshop concluded with committee representatives announcing their pledge to take ownership of the initiative and ensure its sustainability.
Participants from the conflict-affected area shared their perspectives on the importance of State ownership of child protection efforts.
Sani Auwalu, of Yobe’s Network of Civil Society Organizations, explained "This particular workshop is what we were yearning and agitating for, especially the capacity building for government and other bodies working on child protection…The future holds in the hands of the children; it is our duty to protect them.”
Aisha Shettima, of the Borno State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, praised UNODC’s support and emphasized the unique challenges that Borno faces as a result of the armed conflict that has ravaged the State for over a decade.
"In Borno, we have witnessed the armed conflict and its toll on our children. We understand the urgency of addressing this issue with expertise and compassion. We will not take these technical provisions by UNODC lightly and will use the knowledge gained to transform the lives of our children."
Shettima further stressed the importance of ensuring long-term sustainability and expressed hopes for the future.
"After this workshop, I feel strongly that we need a multi-State body to sustain this work even after UNODC has left.”
Fabrayu Alfred of Adamawa’s Ministry of Justice explained that, as communities face challenges, the focus has turned to fostering resilience and robust protective measures that safeguard children’s futures.
“We understand the crucial need for protection of children. It is high time to build resilient communities to protect the rights of children and their future.”
In his address, Cheikh Toure, the new UNODC Country Representative to Nigeria, reaffirmed UNODC’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in its efforts to protect and empower children, particularly in the North-East, which has suffered heavily from insecurity and violence.
He emphasized the importance of local ownership in driving sustainable change and confirmed that UNODC will continue to work with the Government and communities to ensure the successful implementation of child protection measures throughout the region.
