Being the speech of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, at the First Regional Meeting of the Africa Pathfinder Countries of the Global Alliance on Ending Violence Against Children at Banquet Hall, Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, May 8,2025.

 

[Protocols]

1. It was the inimitable Lebanese-American poet and thinker. Kahlil Gibran, who once reminded us that “your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.” That truth, poetic as it sounds, returns to haunt us every time we look away from the bruises on a child’s body, or the tremble in their voice, or the silence that greets their unmet needs. Each day, we are reminded not only of their dreams but also of the conditions into which they are born-and whether these conditions protect or betray them.

2. This gathering-the First Regional Meeting of Africa’s Pathfinder Countries under the Global Alliance on Ending Violence Against Children-couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. It breathes new life into the bold declarations made at the First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children heldin Bogotá. That moment in our shared history gave rise to a global campaign that has since united us in a singular purpose: to secure the safety. dignity, and future of every child.

3. But we must be honest with ourselves. We cannot protect the child by merely reciting the anthems of their struggles or romanticising their vulnerability. The real hope lies in action-concrete, deliberate action. Our commitment must run deep, reaching into the very architecture of our education and health systems. This is the soul of our human capital development strategy.

4. To achieve this, our education system must be inclusive, safe, and anchored on child-sensitive policies. We must prioritise the training of teachers not only as educators but as protectors-equipped to identify and respond to signs of distress and trauma in their pupils. This can only flourish in tandem with healthcare systems that are rooted in strong, accessible primary health centres and bolstered by investments in maternal and child health programmes.

5 Our legalframeworksreflect our conviction From the Child Rights Act to the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, Nigeria has laid down the statutory foundation for the protection of children. But legislation alone does not shield the vulnerable-it is the will behind those laws, and the systems that enforce them, that make the difference.

6. That is why our national strategy also embraces prevention and early intervention. We are strengthening families and communities through programmes that promote positive parenting, challenge harmful social norms, and provide targeted support to vulnerable households. Our dedicated duty-bearers, beginning with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, are being equipped with the training and resources to champion the cause of child protection across all levels of government.

7. This strategy is not without structure. Our Costed National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children offers a clear roadmap-one that outlines concrete steps and measurable targets for prevention, protection, and accountability. Through this, we aim to ensure that every Nigerian child has the opportunity to grow, learn. and thrive in a safe and nurturing environment. This is not simply a policy objective.itis amoralobligation.

8. As a proud Pathfinding Country, Nigeria’s commitment has only deepened over time. Today, under the vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are setting our sights higher. The invaluable commitments made during the 2021 National Policy Dialogue on Ending Violence Against Children continue to guide our efforts. Inspired by the momentum from Bogotá and the leadership seen across our continent, we are expanding the frontiers of possibility.

9. Weintend torealise this vision through the Renewed Hope Agenda for Children, which includes reaching 10 million families by 2030 with family-strengthening programmes that create safe and supportive homes. We are investing in safe schools and embedding socio- emotional learning into our national curriculum. We are rolling out the National Guidelines on Alternative Care to ensure that even children without parental care are raised in love, safety and stability.

10. We are also taking practical steps: launching the Universal Child Grant to reduce household poverty and children’s vulnerability: establishing a National Child Protection Database and a Child Well-being Index to track our progress and uphold accountability. Our commitment includes establishing a dedicated Child Protection and Development Agency to ensure coherent coordination of all issues relating to the Nigerianchild.

11. But we are not stopping there. We are strengthening existing institutions and laws, and launching national campaigns to promote awareness and drive behavioural change. We are building institutional frameworks that guarantee children’s issues are never again consigned to the periphery of policymaking. These issues will now take centre stage in inter-ministerial collaboration, in policy innovation, and in budgetary priorities, through dedicated grant mechanisms that support this vision.

12. This is what it means to be a Pathfinder. The Global Alliance offers us a platformnotmerelytospeak-but toact, tolead, and toinspire.

13. We are confident that when future generations look back at this moment, they will see that we, theleaders of today, rose to the occasion. That we responded with courage, with compassion, and with a fierce bellef in the right of every child to be safe, to be seen, and to be heard. They wilremember that this was the moment we answered the call-to end violence against childrenin our lifetime.

14. On this note, while expressing the gratitude of the nation to the persons and institutions who fight daily for the protection of our children, I hereby launch the National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Children in Nigeria,

15. Thank you, and may God bless us all,