EU, Sokoto unveil child-focused social Protection model

EU, Sokoto unveil child-focused social Protection model

Reported by Sele Media Africa| Ihuoma Amarachi

Sokoto, Nigeria — The European Union (EU) and the Sokoto State Government have jointly unveiled a new child-focused social protection model designed to strengthen data quality, improve targeting mechanisms, and enhance access to essential services for vulnerable households across the state.

The model was launched during an event in Sokoto where development partners emphasised the need for more inclusive and responsive social protection systems tailored to the needs of children and impoverished families. The initiative is being funded through the €14 million Social Support for Social Inclusion (SUSI) programme and is jointly implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The programme aims to build a more robust social protection architecture that helps reduce multidimensional poverty and improves access to basic services such as education, health, nutrition, and legal documentation for vulnerable children and households. At the launch, UNICEF officials noted that while Nigeria has made strides in building social protection systems, child poverty remains extensive and multifaceted, affecting education, healthcare access, birth registration, nutrition, and immunisation—issues that cannot be addressed by monetary support alone.

The new model will expand the National Social Register to include broader indicators such as out-of-school children, nutritional status, healthcare coverage, and immunisation data—enhancing planning, service delivery, and accountability mechanisms, especially in high-poverty local government areas. Sokoto State government officials reaffirmed their commitment to pioneering innovations in social protection, stressing that the state will use the model to drive more inclusive and shock-responsive support systems for children and vulnerable families. The partnership between the EU, UNICEF, and ILO reflects a broader regional effort to close gaps in Nigeria’s social protection infrastructure and ensure that no household remains unseen or unreached.

Citations:

EU, Sokoto unveil child-focused social protection model (Punch Nigeria)https://punchng.com/eu-sokoto-unveil-child-focused-social-protection-model/

EU, UN Agencies and DRC Launch €60 Million Initiatives (UNICEF)https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/press-releases/eu-un-agencies-and-drc-launch-60-million-initiatives-enhance-social-protection

About The Author

Ihuoma Amarachi Grace

author

Ihuoma Amarachi Grace is a journalist with Sele Media Africa, committed to telling authentic African stories with depth and creativity. A Christian and a student of English and Literary Studies, she blends her love for writing with the art of spoken word to inspire and inform. Her voice adds a thoughtful and artistic dimension to Sele Media’s mission of amplifying unheard voices across the continent.

See author's posts