Joseph Senesie, Officer-in-Charge of UNICEF’s Maiduguri Field Office
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised alarm over the protection of children in North-East Nigeria, warning that many continue to face malnutrition, limited access to education, and gender-based violence.
Speaking in Maiduguri on Thursday during the 2025 World Children’s Day, Joseph Senesie, Officer-in-Charge of UNICEF’s Maiduguri Field Office, urged increased investment in children’s rights. He said this year’s theme, “My Day, My Rights,” highlights the need to guarantee children’s rights to life, health, education, and protection.
Senesie said that in 2025, more than 250,000 children in Borno State accessed formal and non-formal education with UNICEF support, while nearly 1.2 million children received vitamin A supplementation. Around 86,000 women and children benefited from gender-based violence prevention and response services, and 33 schools and health centres received basic water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities.
He stressed that protecting vulnerable children is crucial to the region’s stability, urging continued collaboration between government, donors, and civil society.
Zuwaira Gambo, Borno State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to safeguarding children’s rights. As part of the celebrations, a visually impaired student was appointed symbolic Commissioner for a day, highlighting UNICEF’s efforts to empower children in the region.
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