By As part of planned consultation with key stakeholders to strengthen the protection of children in Nigeria, the National Officers of Child Protection Network (CPN) led by the National Coordinator, Mr. Olakunle Sanni, earlier today paid an advocacy visit to UNICEF Nigeria at the body’s UN Building office in Abuja.
While welcoming the visiting team, UNICEF’s Child Protection Chief, Mr. Ibrahim Sesay, expressed his happiness and satisfaction with CPN for the numerous efforts towards creating a protective environment for children in Nigeria. Mr. Sesay described CPN as a novel idea which has continue to help in fulfilling what child protection connotes by preventing bad events from happening to children and responding to children in difficult situation.
Going forward, Mr. Sesay harped on the need to put in place community child protection structures which can better prevent and aid quick response to abuse, exploitation and affecting children. He noted that CPN has over the years exhibited its strong existence at the top level from National down to the state, but went on to advise that CPN existence should be taken further to include community actors or agents who are more closer to the families and children.
In his response, Mr. Sanni thanked the Mr. Sesay for the warm reception and mentioned that CPN already exists at local government levels in some states and assured him that this would go round all the states in no distance time. In line with UNICEF’s request, Mr. Sanni promised that CPN will develop strategies and approaches that can be employed to successfully co-opt actors at ward and community levels into child protection.
The National Coordinator was in the company of Mrs Beatrice Linus Dung (Deputy National Coordinator), Mr. Olorunfemi Olusegun (National Secretary), Mrs Risikat Omolara Yusuff (Assistant National Secretary) and Mr. Victor Dorawa Koreyo (National Internal Auditor) during the visit. The National Officers were also joined on the visit by Mrs Biodun Ogundipe, the acting CPN coordinator for Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
