…47% of Nigerian children live in poverty
… Nigeria is not complying with the standards of accessibility of primary healthcare facilities in the communities
… Misconception about polio vaccine is high
… Abused children are double victimized by the event but also by the community many times
…Nigeria will achieve few SDGs by 2030
Cristian Munduate is the Representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, she brings a wealth of experience to her role since assumption of duty. Before her posting to Nigeria, she was the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Panama City, where she led the UN Country Team and focused on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the commitment to Leave No One Behind.
Her extensive background includes serving as Guatemala’s Minister of Social Welfare and leading a consortium of national and international NGOs in her home country. She holds a master’s degree in technology and administration of resources and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
With over three years in development work, including 18 years with UNICEF, she has held various leadership positions across multiple countries, including Cambodia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Pakistan.
In her interview with Africa Health Report’s Gom Mirian, Ms. Munduate addresses the pressing challenges and opportunities facing Nigerian children today. She sheds light on the harsh realities of poverty, educational barriers, and health issues while outlining UNICEF’s strategies to confront these obstacles.
As Nigeria grapples with rapid population growth and socio-economic difficulties, her insights underscore the vital role UNICEF plays in ensuring that every child has access to essential health, education, and protection services. This candid discussion reveals her vision for transformative change in one of Africa’s most complex environments.
UNICEF’s recent report highlights that nearly half of Nigerian children live in poverty. How does this affect their health, education, and prospects?
We have to take note that poverty has increased given the national context in terms of a food crisis that was declared by the government, so this is something that has affected the income generation capabilities of numerous urban and rural households. The second one is the increasing security situation which is also an obstacle for many urban and rural communities to do their income generation activities.
There is in the overall country also a huge need to have new jobs this is something that the government is working on and definitely the lack of social basic services affects more children than adults. For example, 47% of children come from poor households, but when you want to measure or know the households that are most affected by this poverty, they are more vulnerable children. Households normally for instance don’t have access to health services, to education. In health, even if they have access to health services when their children get sick and they need to get some medicine these are out-of-pocket expenditures that at times the families cannot provide.
If we are talking about nutrition and the status of children in these poor households, the children mainly children under five years are children who start developing severe acute malnutrition in which they require other medical attention by the way, yes, we are managing as UNICEF to make sure that this is provided in the majority of the rural health facilities but at times it is not easy for the poor households because the distances between where they live to where the services are too far, 10 to 15 kilometers which lead you to the conclusion that the country is not complying with the standards of accessibility of primary healthcare facilities in the communities. The lack of doctors and nurses impacts the lives of these children, so the poor household is very pressured by not being able to have enough resources to feed their children, not being able to take the children to heal when they are sick, to education and the majority of these households do not have access to sanitation and access to safe drinking water.
Without basic sanitation and access to safe drinking water, children are also at risk of preventable diseases like cholera, common diarrhea, and polio, open defecation is a massive issue, and approximately 40 million Nigerians still practice it, which spreads disease and disproportionately affects children who are weaker than adults. The lack of basic services exacerbates the challenges children face in these communities. So, in many ways, poverty in Nigeria hits children in a more severe way than adults.
Despite efforts to improve immunisation coverage, 2.1 million children remain unvaccinated. What are the main barriers, and how is UNICEF addressing this gap?
The country was declared polio-free but unfortunately, there were some cases and of course, not all children are immunised against polio this spread with one case the probability of reaching other children is high mainly if they are not immunised and here, I must say that the government makes gigantic efforts along with partners like the WHO, GAVI, the Gates Foundation and UNICEF for these massive national campaigns to immunised against polio. The problems we have are several, one is access as you know there are many areas in the north for example where there are security constraints so the vaccinators have big challenges accessing those areas. This is a call to all those groups operating in those areas. This is a human call I am making, please allow the vaccinators to come in and immunise the children, the population of children being killed by polio doesn’t benefit no one.
Another barrier is misinformation. In some communities, polio vaccines are seen to be harmful, misconception that vaccines, particularly the polio vaccine, are dangerous. Educating families about the real risks of diseases like polio, which can leave children permanently disabled, is essential. We’re working closely with local leaders, including religious and traditional authorities, to help dispel these myths and encourage widespread vaccine acceptance. We must continue with large-scale immunisation campaigns across the country, even in the most remote and conflict-affected areas.”
The out-of-school crisis remains a serious issue, with millions of children missing out on education. What are the root causes of this crisis, especially in conflict zones like Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe?
The out-of-school crisis in Nigeria is deeply linked to both socio-economic and security factors. In conflict-affected areas like Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, schools have been destroyed, and many children are displaced or living in unsafe conditions. Societal factors, such as child labour and early marriage, further contribute to keeping children out of school.
In response, UNICEF is working on multiple fronts. We provide emergency education by setting up temporary learning spaces in refugee camps and conflict zones. We’re also piloting mobile education units to reach children who are otherwise unreachable. Additionally, we’re working with local communities to change cultural perceptions about the value of education. Despite the progress we’ve made, we’re still seeing millions of children missing out, and this needs urgent attention.
The growing population of newborns—around 8 million per year—compounds the issue. With the country’s limited resources, it’s challenging to keep up with this demographic explosion. Yet, through UNICEF’s interventions, millions of children have been enrolled in education programs, and we continue to scale up our efforts to address this crisis.
Violence against children in Nigeria is widespread, with alarming rates of 90% of abuse reported. Why does this continue, and what innovative strategies is UNICEF implementing to reduce this violence?
We do a lot of awareness to make sure that people understand this is not the way to raise a child and on particular forms of violence like genital mutilation or sexual exploitation and sexual violence. We also do a lot of work with local and state authorities because in those practices there has to be a judicial procedure. What happens for example if a girl is raped in a community, the community knows who is the rapper but they silence the girl they don’t take legal action against the person who rapes the girl or the boy, so things are a kind of twisted around because the child that is being abused is double victimized by the event but also by the community many times they don’t speak out because they feel they will be mocked by the community instead of the community taken action through legal procedures so this person can be taken for trails and then convicted.
UNICEF is working with local and national authorities to strengthen the legal frameworks and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. This is critical, as many communities fail to report abuse or fail to take legal action when violence occurs. We are also investing in raising awareness within communities about the detrimental effects of violence on children and working with the media to spread messages that promote child protection.
Our strategy involves not only improving legal and institutional responses but also tackling the root cultural norms that allow these practices to persist. For instance, we are collaborating with religious and community leaders to challenge harmful traditions and educate parents about non-violent child-rearing practices. Our goal is to create a safer environment where children can grow up free from violence and exploitation.
Considering Nigeria’s current trajectory, how do you assess the country’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over the next six years?
It is something I am saying based on evidence there are very few SDGs that would be achieved by Nigeria and the only way the country can come closer to achievement again is to devote budget for different SDGs to improve the capacity and quality of institutional deliverables I think efficiency needs to come at the front of the discussion, the sense of achieving results and to monitor the results whether there are social or economic results and a very strong political will and better coordination among various stakeholders. Closing the gaps between urban and rural areas, improving basic infrastructure, and creating more jobs will be crucial for the country to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
With your extensive background in social welfare, including your role as Guatemala’s Minister of Social Welfare, how do you plan to leverage your experience to address Nigeria’s challenges, particularly for children?
My experience has taught me the importance of collaboration and empowering local communities to take charge of their development. In Nigeria, my approach will focus on strengthening partnerships with government, civil society, and local leaders to create sustainable solutions. A significant area of focus will be enhancing the capacity of local authorities to deliver services to children, particularly in marginalized and rural areas.
I will also advocate for evidence-based programming, using data to ensure that interventions are not only effective but also tailored to the specific needs of the children in question. My goal is to ensure that every child has access to the services they need, whether it’s education, healthcare, or protection from violence. By building strong, resilient systems at the local level, we can create lasting change for Nigeria’s children.
Munduate concludes with a heartfelt appeal to Nigerians saying;
I urge every adult in the country to recognise that while the government plays a key role in securing children’s rights, everyone in society is responsible for protecting and advocating for children. Children are entitled to education, health, nutrition, and protection from abuse, and it is the responsibility of all adults—parents, communities, and the private sector—to ensure these rights are upheld. The media, too, has a crucial role in raising awareness and calling authorities to action. Together, we can build a society where children can grow up in safety and dignity, with the opportunities they deserve to thrive.
