With four of the world's most polluted cities, Nigeria's children are at the risk of dying before adulthood considering the high level of exposure to pollution.According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in four deaths under five years of age is caused by unhealthy indoor and outdoor environmental pollution, including second hand smoking, unsafe water, lack of sanitation and [...]
Ogechi Ekeanyanwu

Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, says in spite of the coordination challenges in delivering aid to Nigeria's north-east, there is a lot of commitment to see it come to fruition.Mohammed said there's willingness at both the national and UN level to achieve a successful distribution of aid in order to avert famine in the region.She made this known [...]

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is a dire need for research and development of new antibiotics to tackle the threat of drug-resistant tuberculosis.WHO says that in the past 50 years, only two new antibiotics addressing drug-resistant tuberculosis have made it to the third phase of trials."These medicines are now tested on patients to assess efficacy, effectiveness and safety, and will [...]

In September 2000, the United Nations signed the millennium declaration - a total of eight development goals to - make leaders of all 191 UN member states committed to combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women by the year 2015.The development goals -- the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achievement of universal primary education, promotion of gender equality [...]

In Nigeria and neighbouring countries, data verified by the United Nations and its partners show that nearly 2,000 children were recruited by Boko Haram in 2016 alone.The children were recruited to fight in a war that has lasted over seven years in the north east states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, Doune Porter, the spokesperson of the UN body for [...]

Famine looms in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan with close to 1.4 million children at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition, UNICEF has said.UNICEF revealed this via a statement by Doune Porter, UNICEF spokesperson, on Tuesday.“Time is running out for more than a million children,” said Anthony Lake, UNICEF's executive director.“We can still save many lives. The severe malnutrition and [...]

Oti Ovrawah, executive secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), says Nigeria needs to step up in its effort to uphold social justice, development and the advancement of human rights.Ovrawah said this in a statement signed by Fatima Mohammed, the chief press officer of the commission, in commemoration of the 2017 international day for social justice.The international day for [...]

Some internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno state got evicted from their homes over their inability to meet up with rents of N,1000.The displaced persons had no where to go after their landlords ejected them, but the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiatives (PCNI) and Victim Support Fund (VSF) came to their rescue.They were relocated to Shuwari Medinatu resettlement camp in [...]

The European Union (EU) has donated 70 million euros to strengthen Nigeria's health systems and eradicate the polio virus in the country.The donation is the first phase of a project to support maternal, new-born and child heath, strengthen Nigeria's health sector and eradicate the polio virus in the country.According to a statement, the federal government, through the ministry of health, [...]

Lanre Tejuoso, a senator, representing Ogun central, says Nigeria’s response to malnutrition is inadequate and does not match the “severity of the problem”.In an article published on Thompson reuters foundation, Tejuoso said of the 2.5 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition each year, Nigeria only treats about 500,000 leaving a huge gap that calls for more commitment.“Up until now, our response to [...]

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, has asked broadcast organisations to give children the opportunity to work with them on March 5, the international Children’s day of broadcasting.Mohammed said this in a statement issued on Tuesday.He called on the media to work with children on this day for national development."In this era of change, children's voices can bring in [...]

Family planning is not only a human right but also a development imperative, especially in Africa, which has large numbers of young people.UNFPA said said this in a statement released on its site."Family planning can play a central role in helping to harness a so-called “demographic dividend," the statement read."A demographic dividend is a massive economic boom that can take place [...]

Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook and founder of leanin.org, says companies need policies that will enable parents work and be there for their families.Sandberg said this in a post on her organisation's Facebook's page.She spoke about the family friendly policies at Facebook, explaining she took time off during the birth of her children, and a bereavement leave her [...]

Nearly eight in 10 women have undergone circumcision in Osun, according to UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).The statistics of Ebonyi was also rated next to Osun, with Ekiti coming third, Imo, fourth, and Oyo, 5th."FGM comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other cutting of or injury to the [...]