President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday at the State House Conference Centre launched an ambitious campaign to End Violence Against Children by 2030.

Millions of children suffer some form of physical, emotional or sexual violence every year in Nigeria. A survey carried out last year by the National Population Commission, with support from UNICEF and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that approximately 6 out of 10 Nigerian children experience one of these forms of violence before they reach 18.

“I say to children in Nigeria – on this historic day, we make a pledge,” announced the President, represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal, at the launch of the campaign, “We commit to protecting each and every one of you from violence.”

The 2030 End Violence Against Children Campaign, supported by UNICEF and USAID, builds and expands on the success of just-ended Year of Action to End Violence Against Children, launched by the President in September 2015. During the Year of Action, Lagos, Cross River, Benue and Plateau States all heeded the President’s call to launch their own State campaigns; Bayelsa became the 23rd State in Nigeria to domesticate the Child’s Rights Act and nine States joined hands to develop a model child protection system to put the Child’s Rights Act into practice.

The Sustainable Development Goals, agreed last month by all members of the United Nations, including Nigeria, include a call on every country in the world to end all forms of violence against children by 2030.

“The Year of Action has created a wonderful momentum to end violence against children. We have a clear moral, legal and economic imperative and a global obligation to take action to end the suffering of children who live under the shadow of violence,” the President added.

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goal to end violence against children, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development announced that it will convene representatives from key Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as Civil Society and Faith Based Organisations to develop a National Plan of Action.

“Ending violence against children is everybody’s business,” said Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF’s West and Central Africa Regional Director. “With this campaign, Nigeria has shown it is determined to mobilise political will and resources to tackle all forms of violence against children wherever it happens.”

•Photo shows a child victim of violence.

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