A three day capacity building training on child poverty data generation, policy design, and implementation has been held in Dutse, Jigawa State, bringing together officials from social protection Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Kano State.
Speaking at the session, the Officer in Charge of UNICEF Kano Field Office, Mr. Karanveer Singh, said the training aligns with UNICEF’s core mandate of improving the lives of children and eliminating child poverty.
The training was organised by the Kano State Social Protection Agency (KASPA), with support from the UNICEF Kano Field Office as part of efforts to strengthen institutional capacity and improve child welfare outcomes.
He emphasised that addressing child poverty requires a coordinated, multi sectoral approach, urging stakeholders to work together in changing the narrative.
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“There is need to stop depriving children of health, education, nutrition and housing. By doing so, we deprive the future and significantly affect the growth of the child. Every effort must be made to reach children who need support,” he said.
Singh explained that bringing together different MDAs was aimed at strengthening collaboration and ensuring that children have access to essential services, including healthcare, education, nutrition, and safe housing. He called on participants to work collectively in delivering meaningful impact.
In his presentation on the institutionalisation of social protection, retired Permanent Secretary from the Jigawa State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Aminu Adamu Ringim, described social protection as a critical economic development strategy for addressing societal challenges and safeguarding vulnerable populations.
He stressed that a clear understanding of social protection concepts is essential for officials responsible for implementing policies and programmes, noting that such knowledge enhances effective service delivery and operational efficiency.
Also speaking, a former Social Protection Coordinating Unit coordinator in Jigawa State urged participants to engage consistently with field implementers of social protection programmes to gain practical insights and address operational challenges.
On financing, Director from the Kano State Ministry of Livestock, Dalhatu Danladi, highlighted the importance of sustainable funding for social protection programmes. He explained that social protection includes cash and in kind transfers, social insurance, and labour interventions targeted at vulnerable populations.
Danladi noted that adequate financing ensures sustainability, expands coverage, strengthens resilience to economic, climate, and health shocks, and builds public trust in government systems.
He called on government to increase budgetary allocations, while also encouraging private sector participation and support from development partners.
The director further identified innovative financing options such as Zakat as a viable mechanism for domestic resource mobilisation, noting that it aligns with poverty reduction goals if supported by transparency and accountability frameworks.
He, however, pointed out challenges including fragmented administration and weak data systems, urging stronger coordination and integration with social registries.
Danladi also advocated for the adoption of budget tagging to track social protection expenditure, improve monitoring and evaluation, identify funding gaps, and strengthen policy alignment. He recommended partnerships between government and Zakat agencies, deployment of digital platforms for beneficiary payments, and real time monitoring systems to improve efficiency.
The training is part of broader efforts to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and tools required to design and implement policies that will reduce child poverty and improve human development outcomes across Kano State and beyond.
