Nigeria signs agreement with Unicef to protect children in armed conflicts

The Nigerian Government has signed a handover agreement with the United Nations Children’s Fund, Unicef and the United Nations Systems in the country to ensure that children encountered during conflict are protected.

At the signing of the agreement in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the handover protocol will discourage the detention of children allegedly associated with armed groups.

He added that the agreement will also enable proper integration of the children into the society through educational and psychosocial support, adding that it will give them the privilege of acquiring an identity.

Unicef representative at the signing ceremony said such children will be transferred within seven days to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs for proper support.

The handover protocol is a practical tool to prevent or reduce the detention of children encountered by military and security forces during armed conflict and presents an opportunity to identify and transfer children allegedly associated with armed groups within a period of seven days to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.

The government of Nigeria and Unicef promised to continue to work together to ensure that children allegedly associated with armed groups receive appropriate, tailored social and economic reintegration assistance. This will support the children’s families’ and communities’ resilience and social cohesion through child protection, education, psychosocial support, vocational and skills development.