A global UNICEF report, launched in Abuja yesterday, shows
that Nigeria is putting its children at risk of under-development, both
physically and mentally, because critical national policies are not providing
an adequate foundation for their growth...
The UNICEF report, Early Moments
Matter for Every Child, outlines three policies that can give parents the time
and resources needed to support their young children’s healthy development.
Unicef The recommended policies are: two years of free pre-primary education;
six months of paid maternity leave; and four weeks of paid paternity leave.
Nigeria currently has just three months of paid maternity leave, only one year
of free pre-primary education and no paternity leave at all. According to The
Lancet, Nigeria ranks among the 10 countries with the largest number of
children at risk of poor development. “What we call Early Childhood
Development, which includes physical and cognitive support, has a strategic
place in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Mohamed
Fall UNICEF Rep in Nigeria. “Investing in Early Childhood Development including
services to support caregivers, quality pre-primary education and good
nutrition will help to secure healthy and productive future generations in
Nigeria,” he added. As well as supporting exclusive breastfeeding, having good
Early Childhood Development policies in place will help to improve the overall
health and nutrition of a child, enable parents and caregivers to be more
responsive to children’s needs and provide greater safety and security. It will
also provide improved early learning.
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