Taraba: UNICEF partners government to implement CFCI

Stakeholders in Taraba State have agreed to commence the immediate implementation of the Child Friendly Community Initiative (CFCI) programme recently established by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The stakeholders, yesterday, in Jalingo, unanimously agreed to form a high powered committee for the implementation of the pilot programme in two out of the 16 local government councils of the state, noting that the time has come to give children their due recognitions.

The agreement was part of the resolutions reached at the just concluded CFCI Inception Meeting organised by the Taraba State Planning Commission in collaboration with the UNICEF.

Field Officer, UNICEF, Bauchi Field Office, Bhanu Pathak, said UNICEF has decided to partner with state and local councils, as well as communities to help accelerate tangible and sustained improvements for children in geographical areas consistently experiencing the highest levels of deprivation and poverty, with a view towards helping the country achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Expressing dismay over the deplorable condition of Nigerian children, especially those presently taking refuge in various Internally Displaced camps, the UNICEF representative said a key objective of the CFCI is to empower and strengthen the capacity of local and rural communities, as well as to enhance local development councils, religious and traditional leaders to adopt child-centred attitude.