UNICEF begins pilot scheme to achieve SDGs in Nigeria

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has commenced a pilot programme in the training of children in two states of the federation to function as change agents for community mobilisation and sensitisation.

This followed its determination to ensure Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target of achieving better health, education, child protection and others.

Planning and Monitoring Specialist, UNICEF, Enugu Field, Maureen Zubie-Okolo, stated this while speaking with The Guardian after a four-day training programme in collaboration with the Cross River State Government and United Purpose in Calabar.

At the seminar, UNICEF trained youth volunteers on real-time monitoring for the Child-Friendly Communities Initiative (CFCI) at the Teachers Continuous Training Institute, Ibogo in Biase Council of the state.

She said the programme would capture Biase and Yala councils of the state for the pilot scheme as the training commenced with 60 children from Biase digitally equipped for data collection, community mobilisation and sensitisation.

Zubie-Okol explained that the training was to ensure that children, particularly in Biase and other communities were empowered to initiate change in their localities.