EU, UN Agencies Conclude High-Level Mission to Sokoto, Reaffirm Support for Women, Children and Vulnerable Families
By GLEBM News Desk
EU, UN agencies and partners concluded a high-level mission to Sokoto, reaffirming commitments to strengthen systems supporting women, children and vulnerable families.
A high-level delegation led by the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, alongside UNICEF, UNFPA, International Labour Organization and international partners, has concluded a mission to Sokoto State, reaffirming a shared commitment to strengthening systems that support women, children, adolescents and vulnerable families.
The delegation met with Ahmed Aliyu, Governor of Sokoto State, who reiterated the state’s determination to deliver essential services to communities.
“Our administration is committed to practical solutions that uplift our people, consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda and our state priorities,” the governor said. “We will continue to prioritise the well-being of women, children and vulnerable families and to work with partners to sustain results.”
During the visit, the delegation toured EU-supported initiatives across schools, primary health care facilities, internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, and community-based service points, observing progress in education, health, social protection and livelihoods.
Reflecting on the mission, Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation, said the visit underscored the importance of systems-level investments.
“This visit has shown how critical it is to invest in systems that protect and empower people—especially children and young people,” he said, adding that the EU remains committed to inclusive development in Sokoto “that leaves no one behind.”
At education and community sites, the delegation reviewed efforts to expand safe learning environments, strengthen teacher support and deepen community engagement to improve access to inclusive education. Rownak Khan, UNICEF Deputy Representative (Programmes), said UNICEF’s work in Sokoto focuses on strengthening education, primary health care and adolescent services, while helping families withstand shocks through social protection. “So that children not only survive, but thrive,” she said.
A key highlight of the mission was the presentation of a new tool designed to capture multiple dimensions of poverty within Nigeria’s National Social Register, under the EU-funded Supporting Sustainable Social Protection Systems in Nigeria (SUSI) programme. With $14 million in EU funding, SUSI aims to improve social protection policy and budgeting, and to establish a child- and family-focused social registry in Sokoto—covering households without birth registration or NIN, out-of-school children, families affected by malnutrition, and those with limited access to primary health care.
Emphasising the systems approach, the ILO Country Director said sustainable social protection depends on strong institutions, clear policy and coordinated financing, noting that interoperable social registries can help target support more effectively.
At primary health facilities, the delegation observed efforts to make services more adolescent-friendly and gender-responsive. The UNFPA Nigeria Resident Representative highlighted the importance of quality, respectful care delivered close to communities, praising frontline health workers for using data to reach the most vulnerable.
Civil society partners also stressed the role of communities in sustaining progress. The CARE Nigeria Country Director said community-driven approaches strengthen local leadership and accountability, while Plan International Nigeria emphasised the need for safe, supportive learning environments for girls and boys across the state.
For displacement-affected families and host communities, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) underscored the importance of coordinated, climate-smart and community-led responses to support recovery with dignity. Action Against Hunger Nigeria (ACF Nigeria) added that conflict, insecurity and climate shocks have eroded coping capacities, making collective action essential to end hunger and malnutrition.
The mission concluded with a renewed joint commitment by the EU, UN agencies, partners and the Sokoto State Government to advance social and economic development outcomes, with a continued focus on systems that deliver lasting benefits for women, children and vulnerable families.
— GLEBM News
