DAC: Kaduna Stakeholder Dialogue on Child-Friendly Budgeting…as Commissioner pledged to establish Children’s Parliament
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
As part of events to commemorate the Day of the African Child, the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission, with support from UNICEF, hosted a high-level stakeholder engagement aimed at assessing progress and commitments in planning and budgeting for children’s rights since 2010.
The event, brought together policymakers, civil society organisations, development partners, students including out-of-school children and media representatives.
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Planning & Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010”, spotlighting the state’s journey in integrating children’s rights into its development agenda.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Planning and Budget Commission, Mukhtar Ahmed Monrovia, emphasised the significance of the theme in reflecting on past efforts and catalyzing renewed action.
“We acknowledged in 2010 that despite our intentions, realization of children’s rights was hindered by resource limitations and lack of inclusive planning. Today’s engagement is a chance to evaluate progress, and more importantly, chart a bold way forward,” he said.
The Commissioner during the discussion segment reaffirmed the State government’s commitment to establish children’s parliament in the State.
Dr. Gerida Birukila, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Kaduna, reminded the audience of the historical roots of the Day of the African Child, commemorating the 1976 Soweto uprising in South Africa.
She highlighted ongoing challenges children face in Kaduna, including high out-of-school rates, low birth registration, and severe multidimensional poverty.
“Child welfare indicators in Kaduna remain troubling,” Dr. Birukila noted, citing that nearly 30% of primary school-age children and over 50% of those in secondary school are out-of-school.
She also reported that only 54.5% of children under five have birth registration, while just 41% of infants receive exclusive breastfeeding.
While commending recent increases in budget allocations toward education, health, and social protection, Dr. Birukila stressed the need for greater impact.
“Financial commitments often fall short of what’s needed to truly transform children’s lives, especially amid shrinking aid and tight fiscal space,” she said.
The event featured a review of child-friendly budgeting performance in Kaduna State between 2020 and 2025. Participants examined trends in budget allocations and their effects on child-related indicators.
There were also calls for periodic children’s rights impact assessments, the collection of disaggregated data, and the establishment of an accountability framework to monitor budget execution for children’s welfare.
The Commissioner assured of increasing political will for resource allocation to child-focused services, raising awareness about child-friendly budgeting, and promoting children’s participation in financial planning.
He also announced the airing of a student-hosted TV and radio program to further amplify the day’s messages.
Stakeholders expressed hope that it would lead to stronger commitments from MDAs, more inclusive budgeting practices, and better outcomes for children in Kaduna State.
