President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the rights, dreams, and futures of every Nigerian child, as the nation marks the 2025 International Children’s Day today. In an address to children across the country on Tuesday, the President described them as “the pride and future of our great nation,” underscoring the government’s moral, constitutional, and intergenerational duty to ensure their protection, development, and safety. “Our children are the most precious part of our national fabric, the heartbeat of our nation’s future, and the custodians of tomorrow’s promise, innovation, and leadership,” Tinubu said. This year’s Children’s Day theme, “Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bullying-Free Generation,” was lauded by the President as timely, reflecting the need to foster a culture where every child feels safe, respected, and heard, both in physical and digital spaces. “Violence, bullying, and neglect have no place in the Nigeria of today,” he declared, citing global statistics that show over one in three children experience bullying, with Nigerian studies estimating up to 65% of school-age children affected by various forms of aggression. “A child who learns in fear cannot learn well. A child who grows in fear cannot grow right,” the President stressed. Tinubu highlighted key measures under the Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at addressing these challenges. These include the implementation of the National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children (2024–2030), the review of the Child Rights Act (2003) and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015), and full enforcement of the Cybercrime Act to combat cyberbullying and online abuse. He further announced a “See Something, Say Something, Do Something” campaign, urging every Nigerian to become a child protection champion. “Laws alone will not be sufficient to protect our children. Parents, teachers, caregivers, faith leaders, lawmakers, and citizens must take ownership,” he said, adding that while 36 states have domesticated the Child Rights Act, more needs to be done to translate legal frameworks into action. The President detailed ongoing initiatives such as the “Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS)” for real-time response to cases, community-based child protection mechanisms, nationwide awareness campaigns against harmful traditional practices, and training of frontline responders. Tinubu also announced the establishment of a dedicated Department of Nutrition within the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the expansion of Mother and Child Hospitals across all geopolitical zones, and a National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to “School Feeding Schemes, the Nutrition 774 programme,” and the creation of the “National Child Wellbeing Index” to track progress and accountability. Addressing children directly, he said “You matter. Your dreams matter. Your voices matter. No one has the right to hurt, silence, or diminish you. If you are bullied or harmed, speak up—you will be heard and protected.” He urged all stakeholders to embed child rights into all budgets, plans, and policies, adding, “Let today mark a renewed movement to build a Nigeria where no child suffers in silence, no child is left behind, and every child grows in dignity, peace, and love.” Tinubu concluded with a message of hope: “Congratulations to all our children. May your laughter echo across this land as a symbol of Renewed Hope and a prosperous future.”
