Writing By Aminu Dalhatu; Editing By Godwin Duru
United Nations Children Fund UNICEF, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Zamfara State in implementing programmes that will improve the lives of women and children, especially through innovative and digital-driven development strategies.
The Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Sokoto, Mr. Michael Juma made this known during the 2025 End-of-Year Review Meeting with implementing partners, organized by the Zamfara State Ministry of Budget and Planning in collaboration with UNICEF, held in Gusau, the state capital.
He explained that the review was aimed at assessing the progress made under the 2025–2026 work plan, identifying key challenges, and developing turnaround strategies for improved results in 2026.
“We are here to reflect on how far we have made progress, the critical pitfalls encountered, and the innovative strategies needed to deliver better results for women and children in Zamfara,” he said.
Mr. Micheal Juma emphasized the need for every sector to identify critical priorities that will help UNICEF to incorporate the new programme development plan for the 2028–2032.
“So as you make your self mission in each and every sector, I would urge the Directors and the permanent Secretaries representatives to tell us precisely what are the critical priorities aligned to the state development plan that should be factored into our country program for the next five years”
“Secondly, as you are implementing the program, there are a couple of implementation challenges
that you also encountered.
In your view, and based on sector-specific analysis, what would you recommend as the critical innovative approaches that we can adapt in 2026 to achieve better results for women and children”.
He further urged partners and government agencies to ensure value for money, operational efficiency, and accountability in project implementation.
“One component, I want to see from each and every one of you, and from every sector, is quality, reliability, and value for money. If you are implementing a project with set benchmarks, targets, and expected results, how do we ensure that it provides value for every single dollar earmarked and budgeted for this Programme”
“So we’ll also look at a financial performance in the past one year, and how we, in our view, would bring efficiency and operational effectiveness in terms of implementation
from a financial perspective, but also looking at programmatic perspective”.
Highlighting UNICEF’s focus areas, Mr. Juma said the organization would continue to promote education, healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), child protection, and social policy reforms that advance child rights and gender equity.
He also underscored the importance of embracing digital transformation to enhance programme delivery and data-driven decision-making across all sectors.
“As we shift into a digital space, all our programmes must be digitally aligned to ensure efficiency, transparency, and sustainability,” he added.
Mr. Juma commended Zamfara State for being among the first in the Northwest to adopt a gender-inclusive policy and a child protection law, describing it as major milestones in promoting equity and justice for children.
He also called for increased attention to disability inclusion, climate resilience, and justice for children, noting that no child should be left behind in the state’s development agenda.
“UNICEF’s mandate is to advance child rights through equity. Our programming must target the most vulnerable — women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities,” he said.
The UNICEF Chief reaffirmed the organization’s readiness to continue working closely with the Zamfara State Government, NGOs, and other development partners to enhance coordination, foster synergy, and strengthen the delivery of impactful programmes across all sectors.
He emphasized that, UNICEF will continue to support the state in addressing the needs of women and children.
“Together, we can operationalize policies and achieve measurable results that transform lives,” he concluded.
In his remark, Zamfara State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Abdulmalik Gajam, pledged government’s commitment to sustaining its partnership with UNICEF in promoting child development and other social protection programmes across the state.
Represented by the Director Social Protection in the Ministry, Hajiya Safiya Ibrahim , he appreciated UNICEF for its continuous support, particularly in areas related to child rights, education, health, and social development.
“We are gathered here to assess our progress, identify gaps and challenges, and reaffirm our commitment to UNICEF’s vision of creating a world where every child has a fair chance to thrive,”
He noted that, the review meeting provided an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss key achievements, challenges, and strategies for future improvement, ensuring that programmes remain focused on delivering tangible results for children in the state.
Gajam expressed Zamfara State government readiness to strengthen collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners to improve the living conditions of women and children through effective social protection policies and community-based interventions.
“We thank UNICEF for its continuous contribution to Zamfara State in advancing child development and related initiatives,” she added.
The meeting brought together, Permanent Secretaries, Directors of Ministries, NGOs, Development partners, media representatives, and UNICEF officials, who reviewed the year’s achievements and shared recommendations to guide the 2026 action plan.
COV/AMINU DALHATU
