The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed readiness to support the establishment of Family Courts in Kebbi State to expedite justice for children, particularly in rural communities, and to improve data collection for effective child-centered planning.
Michael Juma, the Chief Field Officer of UNICEF’s Sokoto Office, made this known at the agency’s 2025 End-of-Year Review Meeting, held in Birnin Kebbi in collaboration with the State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
Mr Juma said discussions had been held with the state’s Commissioner for Justice on steps toward setting up Family Courts to handle child-related cases.
He commended the Kebbi State Government for passing the Child Protection Bill, saying it would help secure the release of children in detention, reduce lengthy trials, and facilitate their reintegration into society.
He reaffirmed the commitment of UNICEF to continued collaboration with the state government on poverty reduction, social protection, and nutrition programmes.
Mr Juma lauded the release of N500 million as counterpart funding for nutrition interventions.
He stressed the need to look into out-of-school children, cholera outbreaks, and open defecation. He also called for a comprehensive roadmap under the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programme to extend progress achieved in Arewa and Mayama Local Government Areas to other parts of the state.
Professor Suleiman Khalid, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), urged organizations to ensure that development policies align with local cultures, religions, and traditions.
Professor Khalid attributed the high number of out-of-school children and Almajiri pupils to social and environmental factors. He urged community leaders to encourage parents to enroll their children in school.