A global UNICEF report, launched in Abuja yesterday, shows that Nigeria is putting its children at risk of under-development, both physically and mentally, because critical national policies are not providing an adequate foundation for their growth.Nigeria currently has just three months of paid maternity leave, only one year of free pre-primary education and no paternity leave at all.
According to The Lancet, Nigeria ranks among the 10 countries with the largest number of children at risk of poor development. “What we call Early Childhood Development, which includes physical and cognitive support, has a strategic place in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Mohamed Fall UNICEF Rep in Nigeria. “Investing in Early Childhood Development including services to support caregivers, quality pre-primary education and good nutrition will help to secure healthy and productive future generations in Nigeria,” he added.
Source:Vanguard
