By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched the €40 million resilience and social cohesion project for more than 500,000 people in the North-east region of Nigeria.
The project which will run for three years is funded by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development through the German Development Bank.
According to a press statement on Thursday, the WFP explained that the project is “a new humanitarian and development package” aimed at enhancing peace, livelihood, education, health, nutrition, child protection, and sanitation support of vulnerable populations in Borno and Yobe States.
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It noted that the multi-year project will be targeted at children 0-23 months, pregnant women, school-age children, adolescent girls, female-headed households, and people with disability.
It added that “the project will contribute to seven Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of poverty eradication, zero hunger, access to quality education, gender equality, good health and wellbeing, climate action, peace, justice and strong institutions as well as a partnership for goals.”
Speaking on the intervention, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins said: “This is a pathway to peace and sustainable development.
“Children and other vulnerable groups will have a lifeline, and an opportunity to survive and thrive in communities where livelihood and peace-building activities are present.”
“Conflict in any region is potential instability in the rest of the world. UNICEF is grateful to the German Government for supporting pathways to child survival and peace in north-east Nigeria.’’
