More Than 7 Million Children Displaced In West And Central Africa Yearly

The United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has on Wednesday revealed that more than seven million young people in West and Central Africa are displaced annually as a result of persistent conflict, poverty, climate change, rapid population growth/urbanization and inequitable economic development.

Other factors include weak governance and limited institutional capacity to support the most vulnerable populations.

UNICEF made this known in its latest report; ‘In Search of Opportunities: Voices of children on the move in West and Central Africa’.

According to the UN Agency, Children account for over half of the 12 million West and Central African people on the move each year, with some 75 per cent of them remaining in sub-Saharan Africa, and less than one in five heading to Europe.

UNICEF Regional Director, Marie-Pierre Poirier, while making the announcement said, “Children in West and Central Africa are moving in greater numbers than ever before, many in search of safety or a better life.

“Yet the majority of these children are moving within Africa, not to Europe or elsewhere. We must broaden the discussion on migration to encompass the vulnerabilities of all children on the move and expand systems to protect them, in all their intended destinations.”

According to the Report, “The region is projected to experience a three to four degree rise in temperature this century – more than one and a half times higher than anywhere else in the world. Severe flooding and drought is already causing the loss of livelihoods and displacement, while changing climate patterns are making some forms of agriculture increasingly unsustainable.

“Tensions over access to scarce resources for cattle and livestock are leading to hostilities in some rural areas, pushing greater numbers of people towards cities.”

The report finds that the region lacks sufficient protection systems – both within and across borders – to ensure the safety and wellbeing of refugee and migrant children, a gap which will become more pronounced with the projected increase in both national populations and migration.

The UN report which was based on a series of interviews with migrants and their families from several countries, states further that the factors if not addressed would continue to rise, hence, calling on policy makers to put children at the centre of any response to migration.

“This can be done by strengthening the chain of protection for children between countries of origin, transit and destination.

“The close cooperation of governments, UN, and non-governmental partners is critical to ensure children’s access to healthcare, education and other essential services, regardless of their migration status.

While urging the public to stand in solidarity with refugee and migrant children displaced by war, violence and poverty, UNICEF also called on all governments, in West and Central Africa, in Europe and elsewhere to adopt the six-point Agenda for Action for the protection of refugee and migrant children.

“The Protection of child refugees and migrants, particularly unaccompanied children, from exploitation and violence; End the detention of children seeking refugee status or migrating, by introducing a range of practical alternatives; Keep families together as the best way to protect children and give children legal status.

“Keep all refugee and migrant children learning and give them access to health and other quality services; Press for action on the underlying causes of large scale movements of refugees and migrants; and Promote measures to combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization in countries of transit and destination,” the Agency added.

Group Seeks Media Support For Women’s Participation In Politics

BY AUWAL AHMAD

A Non Governmental Organisation in northeast Nigeria, Wildan Care Foundation, is seeking support of media to make case for more women in elective positions in Gombe State in the coming 2019 general election.

Executive Director of the group, Zariyatu Abubakar made the call Wednesday when officials of the organisation paid an advocacy visit to the secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (Correspondents’ Chapel) in Gombe.

She said, Wildan Care Foundation was on a sensitization visit to stakeholders across the state such as the media, political parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) among others.

The Foundation decried the outcome of recently conducted local council election in the state where no single woman was elected, either councillor, or chairperson across the 11 local council areas.

“We want women to be part of decision making in both the formal and informal sector of the society,” she said.

She said the group apart from seeking improved participation by women in election matters, is also concerned on issues of women and children particularly those in conflict situations.

Commenting further, Jamila Suleiman, State Coordinator, Women Situation Room Nigeria, solicits men’s cooperation to allow women participate actively in election.

She recalled how during the 2015 general election, at a polling unit (in Kyari Primary School in Kwame local government area) with over 400 registered voters, no single woman came out to cast vote.

“I was monitoring the election in Kwame and I was shocked to see that no single woman came out to cast her vote in a particular polling unit. I sought to know from the women after noticing that they were actually registered as voters. They said their husbands prevented from going out to vote,” she narrated.

Mrs. Zariyatu who is also the Northeast coordinator, Women Situation Room Nigeria said Wildan Care Foundation is also working to provide care, support children and empower women.

She said the group is collaborating with the Women Situation Room Nigeria to harness the leadership resources of women for effective participation and contribution in peace building process, economic and human development.

Responding, Chairman of the Correspondent Chapel, Abdullahi Tukur of Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria, assured them that media would support their mission.

Nurses And Midwives Are Key Stakeholders To Healthcare Delivery System – Osinbajo

Nigeria’s Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said that Nurses and Midwives are key stakeholders to the healthcare delivery system and their contributions are crucial in improving health outcomes of individuals, families, communities, nations and the West African Sub-region as a whole.

Prof. Osinbajo who was represented by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole stated this on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the 14th Biennial General Meeting, the 23rd Scientific Session and the 37th Council Meeting of the West African Council of Nursing at the ECOWAS Conference Centre Abuja.

According to him, in most Sub-Saharan Africa region, the responsibilities of Nurses have increased in line with expanding health services to meet local, national and global health targets, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said that in order to complement the efforts of the government, the role of Nurses and Midwives on the health systems need to be reviewed, delineated and recognized for better impact and optimum contribution to positive health.

Prof. Osinbajo disclosed that the Federal Government of Nigeria was putting Nigerian nurses and midwives at the forefront of revitalization of primary healthcare services in the country. “We will soon roll out mass engagement of nurses and community health extension workers in all our PHCs for effective and efficient 24-hour coverage of healthcare services’’. He stressed.

In her remarks, the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo expressed her deep appreciation to the nursing profession describing it as a great profession that sacrifice a lot in their efforts to manage patients.

While applauding the role nurses played during the containment of Ebola disease that plagued the region in 2014 where nurses risked their lives to save others, Mrs. Buhari congratulated the Nurses for organizing such Conference that was aimed at sharing Ideas among the Nursing profession.

She said: “Through my pet project, ‘’ Future- Assured’’, I have witnessed great need to support the nursing profession to reach greater height and from all indications the profession will grow exponentially in the coming years’’. She noted.

Earlier, in his welcome address, President of the West African College of Nursing Dr. Victor D. Zoclanclounon, thanked Nigeria for accepting to host the 14th Biennial General Meeting adding that the choice of the theme of the Conference: Emerging Health Challenges: Community and Health Workforce Responsibilities in the Sub-region was apt considering the prevailing health challenges confronting the region.

He however underscored the importance of the nursing profession describing it as central to the healthcare delivery system adding that nurses and midwives are the frontline workers who are always caught in the cross fire of containing health emergencies.

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SOURCE AFRICA PRIME NEWS.