EU inaugurates project to aid 1m vulnerable children

The European Union (EU) has inaugurated a new initiative titled “Strengthening Child Care and Protection Systems in Nigeria,” aimed at reaching more than one million beneficiaries and promoting human rights across the country.

Mr Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to the Federal Government of Nigeria and ECOWAS, announced the project on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to De Luca, the initiative will be implemented by SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and the Jireh Doo Foundation.

He stated that the EU was supporting the project due to its strong commitment to human rights and the rule of law.

“Rights are important. The rule of law is very important. It is essential to entrench a culture where rights are not just symbolic, but guaranteed through structured access,” De Luca said.

He noted that the EU was also partnering with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to improve systems such as social protection registers and funding mechanisms.

The focus, he said, was particularly on supporting vulnerable populations, including children and persons living with disabilities.

De Luca expressed hope that the project would help revive interest in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and improve outcomes for vulnerable children across Nigeria.

Mr Eghosa Erhumwunse, National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria, said the 36-month project would be implemented in Edo, Plateau, and Borno States, as well as at the national level.

Erhumwunse said the project was designed to: Reach more than 13,500 vulnerable children, suport 900 caregivers, train 240 childcare professionals, engage 72 government agencies, and collaborate with 74 civil society organisations.

He added that the project was also designed to work with 150 public school teachers, 300 key community stakeholders, and 60 media outlets.

Overall, he said the initiative was expected to impact more than one million children and their families across the focus areas.

He stressed the urgency of the project, noting that Nigeria was home to more than 100 million children, many of whom face daily threats such as abuse, neglect, child marriage, trafficking, and unsafe care arrangements.

Although the Child Rights Act had been domesticated in many states, Erhumwunse noted a persistent gap between policy and practice.

The project, he said, directly responded to that gap with intentional design, stakeholder collaboration, and a focus on systemic reform.

“This project aims to strengthen child protection laws, improve alternative care guidelines, and reinforce both institutional and community-level safety nets,” he added.

Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of CISLAC, commended the EU for its continued support in advancing human rights, peace, governance, and regional integration.

He expressed concern over uncontrolled childbearing in Nigeria, calling it a driver of child rights violations and exploitation.

Rafsanjani lauded the project as a timely intervention that would address many challenges facing children and expressed confidence in the implementing partners’ ability to meet the initiative’s goals.

Mr Paul Yongu, Trustee of the Jireh Doo Foundation, emphasised the need to strengthen the legal and policy frameworks for child protection.

He called for the support of all stakeholders to ensure the full realisation of children’s rights, especially for Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations.