By Philomina Attah
Plan International Nigeria, in collaboration with Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), have unveiled “Put Us at the Centre” a report advocating greater inclusion of children and youth in humanitarian decision-making.
The report, unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, highlights the urgent need for a shift from seeing young people as mere beneficiaries to active participants in shaping aid strategies, especially across the conflict-affected states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY).
Speaking at the event, Damaris Bitrus, the Project Coordinator for the report, disclosed that 132 children, adolescents, and youth were consulted during the assessment to identify their priorities and the gaps in current humanitarian responses.
Bitrus noted that the research was driven by the need to ensure accountability to children amid a global funding crisis and a system-wide reset in humanitarian aid.
“The findings are clear: children and youth prioritised education, food security, child protection, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
“However, funding cuts are deepening the crisis, leading to increased school dropouts, malnutrition, and a rise in gender-based violence (GBV),” she said.
According to Bitrus, the assessment reveals that meaningful participation is currently failing, as young people feel their involvement is often “tokenistic” rather than genuine.
She added that participants demanded safe access to schools, vocational training, and better protection from harmful traditional practices like child marriage.
In his remarks, Mr Ibrahim Sunoma, Deputy Speaker of the National Children’s Parliament, described the report as a “fulfilling experience” that gives children a clear voice and practical solutions.
“This report gives us a voice and shows how adolescents and children can lead when it comes to decisions that affect their lives. I urge everyone to use these findings to improve the lives of young people,” he stated.
Supporting this view, Ms Jennifer Adamu, National Coordinator of Girls Act Equal Nigeria, emphasised that the slogan “Nothing for us without us” must transition from a mere catch phrase into a functional system.
Mrs Halima Ciroma, Director of Administration, Borno Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, highlighted the state’s efforts in establishing skill acquisition centres for vulnerable girls and women.
“In collaboration with partners like Plan International and UNICEF, we are providing training in solar installation, mechanics, and tailoring, followed by starter kits to ensure sustainability after NGOs exit,” she said.
Mrs Comfort Effiom, Plan International’s Monitoring and Evaluation Country Manager, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to data-driven decision-making.
“For us, young people are at the centre of everything we do. This report will not just be a document on the shelf; it will inform our policies and programmes going forward,” Effiong said.
Representing the legislature, Mr Ben Chukwuma of the National Assembly, expressed the readiness of the House Committee on Women Affairs to engage with the report.
Chukwuma hinted at the possibility of amending the Child Rights Act of 2003 and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) to reflect emerging realities and issues raised in the findings.
Also speaking, Mr Chima Ernest, the Executive Assistant to the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Youth Development, noted that the ministry remains open to community-driven initiatives.
He pledged that the ministry would review the recommendations to see how they could be moved forward at the national level, particularly regarding skill acquisition and youth engagement.
On her part, Ms Faith Karang, Programme Specialist at NRC, said the report was a collaborative effort that went beyond the three international organisations.
“We had the Youth Advisory Panel of Plan International and Girls Get Equal, and the adolescents we work with, Inada Mawa and Morono, leading on this,” she said.
Karang welcomed attendees to what she described as “a beautiful programme for our children” referring to them as the leaders of tomorrow.
She said NRC and its partners had worked alongside the children throughout the Children’s Parliament process, from its beginning to its conclusion.
This, she said, was done ahead of the signing of the Child Protection Law by Borno Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum.
She urged the young participants to continue pushing for their voices to carry more weight.
“I want them to strive harder so that their voices are heard even higher,” she said.
Karang added that the report’s findings would be presented by Ibrahim Zanna and youth and grassroots panel members from Borno and Adamawa.
She added that it was a “young people’s report” created with and for adolescents in humanitarian settings.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the “Put Us at the Centre” report is part of a multi-country research effort, with Nigeria and Uganda being the primary focus in Africa.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Mark Longyen
