As Nigeria commemorates Children’s Day today, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has issued a strong call for urgent and sustained action to address the worsening plight of millions of Nigerian children, particularly in Northern regions.
Grassroots Parrot reports that the organization is calling attention to the harsh realities of chronic malnutrition, widespread street begging, and the continued failure of the Almajiri system to protect and educate vulnerable children.
A statement released on Tuesday and signed by Mrs. Furera Isiaka, CHRICED Communications Officer, stressed that many Nigerian children continue to suffer in silence, with little access to food, education, healthcare, or protection from abuse.
“While some children celebrate today in comfort, millions are left behind—malnourished, homeless, and without hope,” said Furera Isiaka.
According to her, malnutrition remains a major crisis in Nigeria, with over 11 million children under the age of five affected. She cited UNICEF data showing that 37% of Nigerian children are stunted and 18% are wasted, conditions that severely limit their development and future prospects.
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The Communication Officer added that despite increased budgetary allocations, rising inflation and economic instability have continued to undermine progress on nutrition and child welfare.
She expressed particular concern over the Almajiri system, which she said has degenerated into a mechanism for child neglect and exploitation. “Originally intended to provide religious education and discipline, the system now leaves thousands of children on the streets, exposed to abuse, hunger, and forced labour. These children are not the problem—they are victims of systemic failure,” Furera stated.
She also criticised what she described as reactive and short-lived interventions, including mass evacuations and forced removals by local authorities, as ineffective and unjust, pointing out that during the COVID-19 pandemic and in more recent campaigns, children were displaced without adequate follow-up care or long-term planning.
However, CHRICED, in the statement urged authorities at all levels—federal, state, and local—to implement concrete reforms and enforce existing child protection laws, including the Child Rights Act of 2003.
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The group also called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil society organisations to take a more active role in advocating for the rights and wellbeing of children.
“This Children’s Day must be a turning point,” Isiaka said. “It must not end in speeches and parades. It must be the beginning of a national commitment to protect our children, feed them, educate them, and give them a future.”
She warned that failure to act decisively would condemn a generation of Nigerian children to a lifetime of preventable suffering, with far-reaching consequences for the nation’s future.