UNICEF vows to end violence against children in Nigeria

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Friday vowed to put an end to various kinds of violence experienced by children in Nigeria.

UNICEF said it is to launch a campaign "Priority Actions On Ending Violence Against Children" on Sept. 29 across the country, in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, to halt the trend of sexual and physical abuse of children in the West African country.

Ladi Alabi, a Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF, said a survey by the organization showed six out of every 10 Nigerian children experience some kind of violence.

"Half of all children in Nigeria experience physical violence, and one in four girls and one in 10 boys experiences sexual violence," Alabi told the News Agency of Nigeria.

Girls are most affected when it comes to sexual and physical violence than other combination of violence, while boys suffer emotional and physical violence most, the UNICEF official said.

Nigeria is the first in West Africa and the eighth in the world to launch the priority action plan, with a view to nip in the bud issues relating to violence against children, Sam Kaalu, a UNICEF Communication Officer, said.

He said ending violence against children needed a multi-sectoral action and urged all hands to be on deck to see that Nigerian children do not suffer any form of violence. Endit