AU Envoy Praises Borno’s Child Protection Efforts, Seeks Greater Support for Youth Participation

By Ali Mohammed Zanna, Maiduguri

The African Union (AU) Special Envoy on Children Affected by Armed Conflict, Ambassador Jainaba Jagne, has commended the Borno State Government and humanitarian organisations for their efforts to protect vulnerable children, improve access to education, and support the reintegration of conflict-affected children.

Jagne gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri, where she highlighted the need to strengthen child protection programmes and amplify the voices of young people across Africa.

The visit formed part of the envoy’s engagement with government officials and humanitarian partners to assess interventions supporting children affected by armed conflict in Borno State.

The delegation also visited the Bulumkutu Interim Care Centre and the Muna Vocational Centre to assess ongoing child welfare, education, vocational training and reintegration initiatives.

At the Bulumkutu facility, Jagne praised the attention and care provided to children, commending the state government and its partners for their commitment to protecting vulnerable young people.

She said the experiences and achievements recorded in Borno deserved wider recognition across African Union member states.

The delegation also delivered relief materials facilitated by Save the Children International, including educational supplies intended to support more than 1,000 children, alongside hygiene materials for girls undergoing reintegration into their communities.

Jagne said her office, established by the AU Peace and Security Council in 2018, was mandated to promote the protection and welfare of children affected by armed conflicts across the continent.

She stressed the importance of ensuring that children affected by violence are not excluded from decisions concerning their welfare and future.

The envoy also advocated greater participation of young people in continental decision-making, expressing interest in seeing a young representative from Borno State address African leaders at an upcoming AU summit.

She highlighted the potential of young Nigerians to contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding, governance and the protection of children affected by conflict.

Zulum seeks stronger AU support for education recovery

In his remarks, Governor Zulum called for stronger cooperation between the African Union, the Nigerian government and humanitarian partners to address the challenges facing children in conflict-affected communities.

He said the number of out-of-school children in Borno State had declined from more than two million to approximately 800,000, attributing the progress to ongoing efforts to expand access to education.

However, the governor acknowledged that the figure remained high and called for sustained support to ensure more children could return to school.

Zulum emphasised that protecting educational institutions, expanding learning opportunities and addressing barriers to school attendance were essential to the state’s recovery from years of insurgency.

He particularly stressed the importance of keeping girls in school, noting that education contributes to safer communities, economic development and long-term stability.

The governor also identified menstrual hygiene management, school safety and social attitudes as issues requiring attention to improve girls’ retention in school.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the African Union and other development partners in education recovery, youth empowerment, social protection and disability inclusion.

Zulum said such partnerships were necessary to create opportunities for children to learn, develop their abilities and contribute to a peaceful and prosperous society.

The AU delegation included officials responsible for women, peace and security, education, health and children affected by armed conflicts, as well as representatives of Save the Children International and Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in Addis Ababa.

The engagement underscored the importance of coordinated efforts by governments, regional institutions, humanitarian organisations and local communities to protect children and rebuild essential services in conflict-affected areas.