The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has committed a total of $16 million to support Oyo State in advancing children’s rights over the next three years, with $5.2 million set aside for implementation in 2025.
The announcement was made on Thursday during a Child Rights Advocacy Dialogue organised for the 33 local government chairmen in the state. The event was held at Plaza D’Aruna Hotel in Oyo Town.
The campaign, supported by the Oyo State Government, seeks to encourage local councils to place children’s rights at the centre of their development planning, budget decisions, and service delivery.
Speaking at the session, Mr Kolawole Bello, Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Finance, Budget, and Economic Planning, stated that the action plan would focus on healthcare, education, and child protection.
“UNICEF has established a three-year operational blueprint in Oyo State,” Bello said.
He noted that with local government autonomy fully in place, it is now the responsibility of the council chairmen to “plan, budget, and allocate resources for children from the grassroots level upward.”
UNICEF’s Social Policy Manager, Muhammad Okorie, in his address, called on the local leaders to champion the rollout of the initiative, even in the face of financial constraints.
“Local governments are the closest level of governance to the people. Their role in turning child rights policies into tangible results cannot be underplayed,” Okorie said.
He explained that UNICEF’s investment goes beyond financial backing and serves as a strategic commitment to improving the lives of children in the state. He added that it must be complemented by transparent practices and measurable outcomes.
Speaking on behalf of the 33 council leaders, Mr Salami Akeem, Chairman of Oyo East Local Government Area, reaffirmed their readiness to integrate child-centred priorities into local governance.
“We will take the necessary steps through proper budgeting and planning to ensure that children’s rights are not only protected but actively promoted across all communities,” he pledged.
The dialogue ended with a shared resolution to embed child welfare objectives into local development agendas and to identify alternative, sustainable funding streams beyond UNICEF’s support.